ExoMars discovered water from the Mars Grand Canyon.

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"Artist’s impression of Mars Express. The background is based on an actual image of Mars taken by the spacecraft’s high resolution stereo camera. Credit: Spacecraft image: ESA/ATG medialab; Mars: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin" (ScitechDaily/ExoMars Discovers Hidden Water in Mars’ Grand Canyon – The Largest Canyon in the Solar System)

The finding of water is the big step for the plans that made for creating a manned Mars station in the future. And also that water can use as fuel in the sample returning mission. In the last case, that water will break electrolytically into oxygen and hydrogen. And the rocket that rises samples to orbiter can use those elements as fuel and oxygen. 

A similar mixture is used in the Saturn V rocket's second and third stages. The use of hydrogen and oxygen mean that the rocket is leaving only water behind it. The thing that causes pollution in the hydrogen-oxygen rocket is the electrolytic process. The creation of electricity for the electrolysis requires some kind of power system. 

"ESA’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) has discovered large amounts of water locked up within Mars’ extensive canyon system, Valles Marineris. Credit: From I. Mitrofanov et al. (2021)"(SciTechDaily/ExoMars Discovers Hidden Water in Mars’ Grand Canyon – The Largest Canyon in the Solar System)

Where do we need a Mars station?

The 3D printing system that can use materials that are taken from Mars would make the creation of the Mars station easier. It makes construction work more flexible and faster. So with the first thing that would land on Red Planet would be the chamber where is a 3D printer. That thing makes it possible that every nail and screw must not carry from the Earth to that planet. 

The first Mars station would be primitive. Its purpose is to give experiences about the structures on the surface of Mars. And at the later stage, the mission of those primitive stations is to work as restrooms for crews that are building more capable and larger stations on that planet. But if those construction works can made by using robots everything would be easier and faster.

Robots can operate non-stop, and they would not require humans all the time. So the first thing that lands on Mars could be the 3D printer system that creates robots and tools on that planet. That thing guarantees that there is no need for taking every spare part from the Earth. And also, broken robots can replace very easily. 

In that futuristic Mars -base will test things like closed nutrient circulation. Of course, those futuristic and still theoretical systems. Must have already been tested at the Moon. But on Mars, there is needed nuclear power or some kind of fuel cells that create electricity to the station in the nighttime. 

Image 3: Pinterest

Similar systems can use on the Moon. But Mars is farther away from Earth. If there are some kind of problems on the Moon station the rescue crew will reach it in five days. The Mars station must be more independent. The Mars station might play a big role for asteroid-belt missions and in far away in future, the Mars station might offer a resting place for missions to the outer solar system. 

If we would want to use electrolytic created oxygen in an artificial atmosphere of Mars or some other space station we must remember that pure oxygen is dangerous. If there is a fire at the distant station the pure oxygen causes the detonation. So in that kind of purpose in the gas. Must involve the inhibitor gas that is lowing the reactivity of the gas. 

The thing is that the vegetables and algae are offering a good way to create oxygen for the space station. Those things can use as a nutrient. Then the next challenge is that the Mars station is far away from Earth. The journey to that place will take 260 days. So that thing means that if there is some kind of leak the lost gas must replace. 

In some scenarios, the robots would make the station ready. And then the nutrient and algae are put for growing in that structure. The light and nutrients are dosing extremely carefully. The active carbon filtering systems will work along with biological systems. And that will make the atmosphere suitable, safe, and comfortable for the people who will take their stand in that still hypothetic Mars station. 

The structure can first fill by using carbon dioxide and then vegetables and algae will transform the atmosphere suitable for breathing while the humans are coming to make their stand. In those scenarios, the oxygen is separated by using vegetables and algae that live in the tank. The green algae can be used for killing anaerobic bacteria. That algae are also giving material for genetic research. 

The first Mars station would be primitive. Its purpose is to give experiences about the structures on the surface of Mars. And at the later stage, the mission of those primitive stations is to work as restrooms for crews that are building more capable and larger stations on that planet. But if those construction works can made by using robots everything would be easier and faster. Robots can operate non-stop and they would not require humans all the time. So the first thing that lands on Mars could be the 3D printer system that creates robots and tools on that planet. 

The 3D printing system that can use materials that are taken from Mars would make the creation of the Mars station easier. It makes construction work more flexible and faster. So with the first thing that would land on Red Planet would be the chamber where is a 3D printer. That thing makes it possible that every nail and screw must not carry from the Earth to that planet. 

https://scitechdaily.com/exomars-discovers-hidden-water-in-mars-grand-canyon-the-largest-canyon-in-the-solar-system/

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