NASA funded: MARCO POLO can be the starting point for the new Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) ISRU project for a long-term ground demonstration of a Mars ISRU system to produce oxygen at 0.200 kg/h or more. NASA unfunded: The MARCO POLO Atmospheric Processing Module (APM) provides a technology demonstration of one part of a Mars Propellant Production System capable of producing 0.44 kg of methane and 1.77 kg of oxygen per 14 h day, which would be sufficient for a small Mars Sample Return mission. The ground prototype could lead to an ISRU system on the proposed 2024/2026 Mars Surface Pathfinder that would demonstrate key technologies for crewed missions.
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