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NASA Makes Oxygen on Mars – Omega the Dark Side of Mars?

  1. Omegafanman Apr 25, 2021

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    Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment (MOXIE)

    I know the helicopter grabbed all the headlines (was very neat) but taking Martian atmosphere and turning it into Oxygen was another record breaker + a big stepping stone to a manned mission (fuel and life support taken from the thin Martian CO2 atmosphere). The first experimental extraction of a natural resource from another plant for human use – impressive stuff.

    Mars Oxygen ISRU Experiment - Wikipedia

    https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/spacecraft/instruments/moxie/

    https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-s-perseverance-mars-rover-extracts-first-oxygen-from-red-planet/

    A key component / the membrane electrolyte used was a type of Zirconium ceramic… And Zirconium oxide was also found in abundance on the Moon by the Apollo astronauts – much more plentiful than on Earth. Materials fabricated from zirconium metal and ZrO2 are used in space vehicles where resistance to heat is needed. High temperature parts such as combustors, blades, and vanes in jet engines are increasingly being protected by thin ceramic, usually composed of a mixture of zirconia. New aircraft are much more efficient so good for the environment (well 20-30% better anyway).

    Aside from being light and scratch proof, being made of Zirconium Oxide the Omega DSOTM watch looks to be a true, modern Moon / Mars watch based on the material selection – It being made mostly from Zirconium Oxide.
    As an aside the ZrO2 ref on the dial is very subtle – took me a few photos to catch it (one of the failures also shown below) – it is nearly as bad at the Omega crystal logo to catch with a normal phone / camera (and my poor photographic skills :0)
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    moxie_being_installed_in_perseverance - Copy.jpg Science  - Copy.jpg DSOTMZ - Copy.jpg Omega 1 - Copy.jpg DSOTMNZ - Copy.jpg
    Edited Apr 25, 2021
  2. SpeedyPhill Founder Of Aussie Cricket Blog Mark Waugh Universe Apr 26, 2021

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    Please ... Don't give the " Buzz Butt " design team any ideas...
     
    Omegafanman likes this.