Does anyone know if there is a similar process that can separate both oxygen molecules and the carbon molecule? Then use the C to 3d print things and the oxygen to breathe/fuel/etc? Probably energy limited?
2 CO2 + heat --> 2 CO + O2
CO is a gas, so they let it escape. (It's toxic for mammals (in particular humans), but there is no one around to worry about. It will get transformed back to CO2 in the atmosphere when we react with something else that has an oxygen to steal. And in extremely low concentrations it's not a problem. So it's safe to let it escape for now.)
It's energy limited. You need heat to make the transformation.,
We desperately need to develop a big surface nuclear reactor that fits on a Starship. Without that Mars just isn't gone work. Laying out 100s of football fields of solar panels is just stupid in comparison.
we straight up don't have the ability to build a big surface buclear reactor on Mars. we probably could develop that capability, but until then, it isn't stupid to brute force a large solar installation until something better comes along.
solar likely would be used along side things like kilo power and maybe traditional generators slightly modified until that day comes. it's not stupid do do inefficient thing now, when you don't have a real alternative.
No we don't actually. Not in a ready state to deploy to Mars and maintain and set up automatically.
I would say deploying small submarine navy reactors is closer to being a real thing.
> we straight up don't have the ability to build a big surface buclear reactor on Mars
I didn't say 'build it on Mars'. I said, put in on Starship and land it on Mars.
> it isn't stupid to brute force a large solar installation until something better comes along.
Technology doesn't magically fall from the sky. 'Something better' doesn't magically show up one day saying 'Hi, I'm ready'.
NASA does targeted development investment and spending to get the capabilities they need.
Everybody interested in Space has for 50 years known that space nuclear is a necessary part of the future and because of dumb politics NASA has done almost nothing.
> it's not stupid do do inefficient thing now
We are not flying to Mars right now ...
> when you don't have a real alternative.
If you refuse to develop an alternative your not gone have one.