China’s Shenzhou-19 crew aboard the Tiangong Space Station has created oxygen and ingredients for rocket fuel for the first time with the help of “artificial photosynthesis” technology.
The crew has successfully made the demonstration of the orbit technology of the orbit, thus racing the path for future space exploration, including the landing of the manned moon before 2030, said the South China Morning Post.
According to him Chinese manned space (CMS) Website, carried out 12 experiments inside a drawer -shaped device and used semiconductor catalysts to convert carbon dioxide and oxygen water.
Researchers were able to produce hydrocarbons ethylene, which could be used as a rocket fuel. They began investigating the idea of ”extraterrestrial artificial photosynthesis” in 2015.
The experiments focused on key technologies such as carbon dioxide conversion at room temperature, gas transport and separation in multiphasic reaction interfaces of solid-liquid gas in microgravity and real-time detection of reaction products.
“Artificial photosynthesis” technology significantly reduces energy consumption, since it is capable of working efficiently at room temperature and standard atmospheric pressure.
Through catalyst adjustments, it can be adapted to produce several products, such as methane or ethylene for propulsion.
State BroadCaster CCTV stated that technology mimics the “natural photosynthesis process of green plants through physical and chemical methods designed, using carbon dioxide resources in confined spaces or extraterrestrial atmospheres to produce oxygen and carbon -based fuels.”
He added that this work could provide critical technical support for future exploration in external space and human survival.
Previously, experiments related to photosynthesis aboard the International Space Station (ISS), have focused on plant growth, in addition to understanding how microgravity affects natural photosynthesis.
The ISS uses electricity from its solar panels to divide water into hydrogen and oxygen, which allows it to supply breathable air for astronauts on board.
Katharina Brinkert from the University of Bremen in Germany said that while this process is effective, it is still intensive in energy, which means that it would not be practical for long distance missions.
In a 2023 study, his team declared that generating oxygen at the space station consumes almost a third of the total energy required to operate its environmental control and the life support system.
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