The Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Life Support Systems project Oxygen Generation and Recovery technology development area encompasses several sub-tasks in an effort to supply oxygen to the crew at the required conditions, to recover oxygen from metabolic carbon dioxide, and to recycle recovered oxygen back to the cabin environment. These technologies are under consideration for future deep-space missions. The project is developing technologies to provide high-pressure oxygen either through high-pressure water electrolysis; using low-pressure electrolysis then drying, purifying, and compressing; and through solid-state oxygen separation, then drying, purifying, and compressing. The project is developing a technology to deliver low-pressure oxygen using the Bosch chemical process. The project is developing a technology to increase oxygen recovery using methane pyrolysis and hydrogen separation to recover hydrogen from methane, combine the hydrogen with carbon dioxide to produce water, and then use electrolysis to separate oxygen from the hydrogen.
More »The technologies developed in this project are being developed to improve on the state-of-the art used on the International Space Station or to develop new technologies required for deep-space missions and that are not needed on the International Space Station. These technologies can be used on deep-space exploration, including Mars missions.
More »Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
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Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) | Lead Organization | NASA Center | Huntsville, Alabama |
Ames Research Center (ARC) | Supporting Organization | NASA Center | Moffett Field, California |
Giner Electrochemical Systems, LLC | Supporting Organization | Industry | Newton, Massachusetts |
Glenn Research Center (GRC) | Supporting Organization | NASA Center | Cleveland, Ohio |
Honeywell International | Supporting Organization | Industry | |
Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. | Supporting Organization | Industry | Dallas, Texas |
Johnson Space Center (JSC) | Supporting Organization | NASA Center | Houston, Texas |
JSC Engineering, Technical, and Science (JETS) | Supporting Organization | Industry | Texas |
UMPQUA Research Company | Supporting Organization | Industry | Myrtle Creek, Oregon |
University of California-Berkeley (Berkeley) | Supporting Organization | Academia | Berkeley, California |
Wyle Laboratories, Inc. | Supporting Organization | Industry | Houston, Texas |