NASA-backed firm to tap into photosynthesis for CO2-fueled rockets
In recent years, there’s been a push to make rocket launches more sustainable.
In recent years, there’s been a push to make rocket launches more sustainable — with the goal of reducing the environmental impact of space exploration.
Brooklyn-based AIR Company has developed a novel solution to make environment-friendly rocket fuels.
They accomplish this by converting Earth’s excess carbon dioxide, a major contributor to global warming, into carbon-negative fuels.
Recently, the company partnered with New York University’s Tandon School of Engineering to explore and make environment-friendly rocket fuel for launches. If successful, the technique would fuel NASA’s next-generation rockets.
“Our collaboration with AIR Company exemplifies our dedication to sustainability in space exploration, and brings us closer towards the possibility of human settlement on Mars,” said Miguel Modestino, director of NYU Tandon’s Sustainable Engineering Initiative (SEI).
Sustainable rocket fuel from carbon dioxide
This collaboration expands research into the practicality of CO2-derived fuel for rocket launches.
This technology “uses a process similar to photosynthesis to convert CO2 into high-performance fuels and chemicals,” the press release mentioned.
Plants have naturally excelled at capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere for billions of years via photosynthesis.
It is the process by which plants convert CO2 into oxygen and glucose using sunlight.
The company’s website says they replicate this natural process, they are “taking in carbon dioxide and using water and renewable energy to create the carbon-negative alcohols and fuels we use in our products.”
This means that their production process removes more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than it emits, contributing to a net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
Interestingly, the company has already used this advanced carbon conversion solution to manufacture luxury perfumes.
Collaboration supported by NASA
This collaboration is supported by NASA’s Phase II Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) award.
This program funds collaborative projects between startups or small businesses and research institutes. These projects focus on early-stage research and development (R&D) of technologies to advance NASA’s missions and address significant challenges.
NYU and AIR Company used this funding to perform preliminary research into the viability and possible risks of adopting CO2-derived fuel for NASA’s usage on Earth and in rockets.
Both teams are currently preparing for the next phase of research and development.
Interestingly, this technique has the potential to generate stable fuel on-site on Mars. This technique would entirely depend on the local resources found in the Martian environment, such as water and solar photovoltaic electricity. This fuel could serve as a power source for habitats and other essential infrastructure on the Red Planet.
“This partnership underscores the transformative impact of academic-industry alliances, offering students a direct pathway from lab innovations to impactful real-world endeavors,” Modestino mentioned in the press release.
The approach would eliminate excess carbon dioxide, which typically lingers in the Earth’s atmosphere for years and contributes to global warming.
SHOW COMMENT ()
