Experimental Investigations:
- Visit the Mars Atmospheric Simulation Facility where experiments have been carried out to determine how effective molecular sieves, such as Zeolite 3A, are at extracting water from the Martian atmosphere. This facility has also been used to calibrate the humidity sensor in the Thermal and Electrical Conductivity Probe (TECP) package that is currently on the way to Mars aboard the Phoenix Mars Lander.
Martian Water Vapor Extraction and Humidity Calibration Studies:
- Wood, S. E., Schneider, M. A., Cardell, G., Hecht, M., Knowlen, C., Bruckner, A.P., Catling, D. C., Cobos, D., and Zent, A., “Characterization and Calibration of the Phoenix TECP Relative Humidity Sensor in a Mars Atmospheric Simulation Chamber,” Fourth International Conference on Mars Polar Science and Exploration, Davos, Switzerland, Oct. 2-6, 2006.
- Schneider, M.A., and Bruckner, A.P., “Extraction of Water from the Martian Atmosphere,” Space Technology & Applications International Forum – STAIF-2003, Albuquerque, NM, Feb. 2-5, 2003, M.S. El-Genk, ed., American Institute of Physics Conference Proceedings, Volume 654, pp. 1124-1132.
- Polkko, J., Harri, A-M., Lehto, A., Tillman, J., Bruckner, A.P., and Siili T., “Digihum: Humidity Transmitter for Harsh Martian Environment, Construction and Performance Assessment,” Poster PS037, XXVII General Assembly of the European Geophysical Society, Nice, France, April 21-26, 2002.
- Grover, M.R., Hilstad, M.O., Elias, L.M., Carpenter, K.G., Schneider, M.A., Hoffman, C.S., Adan-Plaza, S., and Bruckner, A.P., “Extraction of Atmospheric Water on Mars in Support of the Mars Reference Mission,” Proceedings of the Mars Society Founding Convention, Boulder, CO, August 13-16, 1998.
- Grover, M.R., and Bruckner, A.P., “Water Vapor Extraction from the Martian Atmosphere by Adsorption in Molecular Sieves,” Paper No. AIAA 98-3302, 34th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference, Cleveland, OH, July 13-15, 1998.
- Williams, J.D., Coons, S.C., and Bruckner, A.P., “Design of a Water Vapor Adsorption Reactor for Martian In Situ Resource Utilization,” Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, Vol. 48, pp. 347-356, 1995.
NOTE: The research on water vapor extraction from the Martian atmosphere is also mentioned in Robert Zubrin's book, The Case for Mars: The Plan to Settle the Red Planet and Why We Must, The Free Press, 1996, pp.192-193. For an update on Zubrin’s Mars related activities, visit the Mars Society.
Mars Mission Design Studies:
- Grover, M.R., Odell, E.H., Smith-Brito, S.L., Warwick, R.W., and Bruckner, A.P., “Ares Explore: A Study of Human Mars Exploration Alternatives Using In Situ Propellant Production and Current Technology, The Case for Mars VI, Vol. 98, Making Mars an Affordable Destination, McMillen, K.R., ed., American Astronautical Society Science and Technology Series, Univelt, Inc., San Diego, CA, 2000, pp. 309-340).
- Bruckner, A.P., Thill, B., Anderson, S., Pasco, D., and Willman. C., “Mars In Situ Propellant Technology Demonstrator Mission,” J. British Interplanetary Soc., Vol. 48, p. 337-346, 1995.
- Coons, S.C., Curtis, R.M., McLain, C., Williams, J.D., Warwick, R., and Bruckner, A.P., “In Situ Propellant Production Strategies and Applications for a Low-Cost Mars Sample Return Mission,” Paper AIAA 95-2796, 31st AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference, San Diego, CA, July 10-12, 1995.
- Bruckner, A.P., Nill, L., Schubert, H., Thill, B., and Warwick, R., “Mars Rover Sample Return Mission Utilizing In Situ Production of the Return Propellants” (with L. Nill, H. Schubert, B. Thill, and R. Warwick), AIAA Paper No. 93-2242, AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE 29th Joint Propulsion Conference, Monterey, CA, June 28-July 1, 1993.
- Bruckner, A.P., Cinnamon, M., Mahn, K., Hamling, S., Phillips, J., and Westmark, V., “Low Cost Manned Mars Mission Based on Indigenous Propellant Production,” AIAA Paper No. 93-1010, 2nd Annual AIAA/USRA/AHS Aerospace Design Conference, Irvine, CA, February 16-19, 1993.
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