TITLE: Material Processing with Hydrogen and Carbon Monoxide on MARS.

AUTHOR: A. F. Hepp;   G. A. Landis;   D. L. Linne.

INST.  AUTHOR: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Cleveland, OH.

Lewis Research Center.

LANGUAGE: English

PUB.  TYPE: Technical Report

PUB.  COUNTRY: United States

SOURCE: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), 1991,  11p.

NTIS ORDER NO.: N91-23616/6INW

NOTES: Presented at the 10TH Biennial Conference on Space Manufacturing, Princeton, NJ, 15-19 May 1991; Sponsored by the Space Studies Inst.

ABSTRACT:

Several novel proposals are examined for propellant production from carbon dioxide and monoxide and hydrogen. Potential uses were also examined of CO as a fuel or as a reducing agent in metal oxide processing as obtained or further reduced to carbon. Hydrogen can be reacted with CO to produce a wide variety of hydrocarbons, alcohols, and other organic compounds. Methanol, produced by Fischer-Tropsch chemistry may be useful as a fuel; it is easy to store and handle because it is a liquid at Mars temperatures. The reduction of CO2 to hydrocarbons such as methane or acetylene can be accomplished with hydrogen. Carbon monoxide and hydrogen require cryogenic temperatures for storage as liquids. Noncryogenic storage of hydrogen may be accomplished using hydrocarbons, inorganic hydrides, or metal hydrides. Noncryogenic storage of CO may be accomplished in the form of iron carbonyl (FE(CO)5) or other metal carbonyls. Low hydrogen content fuels such as acetylene (C2H2) may be effective propellants with low requirements for earth derived resources.  The impact on manned Mars missions of alternative propellant production and utilization is discussed.

REPORT  NUMBER: NAS 1.15:104405;   E-6230;   NASA TM-104405