Scientists have published the first detailed study of its kind on metal production on another planet.
They focused on metal extraction on Mars.
They are developing a process that would take processed air, dirt and sunlight on Mars to create metallic iron.
It uses concentrated solar energy as a heat source and carbon.
This oxygen production has been demonstrated on Mars, on the Perseverance rover, through the MOXIENASA project.
This metal extraction process is intended to be coupled with a future oxygen generator plantto co-produce oxygen and iron alloy.
This can then be used to further human mission and development on Mars.
Launching technology into space is expensive, time-consuming, and bad for the environment.
Producing resources from other planets allows for more efficient, cheaper, and more sustainable development in space.
This allows for greater human exploration and extension of technology, like satellites, that help gather data and solve problems back on Earth.