This illustration envisions astronauts and habitats on the Martian surface. Equipped with pioneering technologies, NASA’s Perseverance rover is paving the way for safer and more efficient human exploration on Mars. Among these innovations is MOXIE (Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment), an instrument that has successfully produced oxygen on the Red Planet. Credit: NASA
The prestigious magazine has acknowledged MOXIE, an oxygen production experiment on NASA’s Perseverance rover on Mars, as part of its accolades.
NASA’s ongoing mission to explore, create, and stimulate continues to garner accolades, with the agency’s inventions for atmospheric pollution monitoring, asteroid sample analysis, Martian oxygen extraction, and transformative aviation technology being named as some of TIME’s 2023 Best Inventions. TIME revealed the list of honorees on October 24.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson stated, “For over six decades, NASA has been a beacon of innovation for the good of all humanity. Our breakthroughs range from converting Martian carbon dioxide into oxygen to securing the largest asteroid sample for Earth, enhancing North American air quality, and redefining aviation. Projects like MOXIE, TEMPO, OSIRIS-REx, and the X-59 Quesst serve as a testament to NASA’s ability to turn the dreams of science fiction into reality. This is made possible by our top-notch team who consistently demonstrate that collaboration can overcome any barrier.”
Illustrative summary of the TEMPO mission. Credit: NASA/SAO
Enhancing Air Quality Information
NASA’s TEMPO (Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution) mission is an unprecedented space-based instrument designed to monitor air pollution hourly throughout North America during daylight hours, covering an expanse from Mexico City to Northern Canada and from coast to coast.
Initiated in April 2023, TEMPO delivers unparalleled daytime pollution measurement and tracking capabilities. This innovative instrument can accurately monitor air pollution in a targeted 4-square-mile zone, aiding climate researchers in enhancing living conditions on our planet by facilitating access to crucial air quality data. This data can be used to analyze rush hour pollution patterns, trace pollution from wildfires and volcanic eruptions, examine fertilizer impacts, and potentially assist in refining air quality warnings.
MOXIE (Mars Oxygen In-situ Resource Utilization Experiment) integrated into NASA’s Perseverance rover in 2019. During its mission, MOXIE successfully extracted oxygen from the Martian atmosphere 16 times, examining ways to support future astronauts in creating rocket fuel for return trips to Earth. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Producing Oxygen on Mars
In September, the compact MOXIE device aboard the Perseverance rover produced oxygen from the Martian atmosphere for the 16th and final occasion.
The in-situ resource utilization technique, crucial for the prolonged human presence on Mars, has the potential to supply astronauts with vital resources such as breathable air and propellants for rockets.
Since the landing of Perseverance in 2021, MOXIE has exceeded expectations by producing 122 grams of oxygen, achieving a high of 9.8 grams in its last operation. At its peak efficiency, MOXIE has generated 12 grams of oxygen per hour — a 100% increase over NASA’s initial targets for the device — with a purity level of at least 98%.
Sample return capsule from NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission processed in a cleanroom, September 24, 2023, at the Department of Defense’s Utah Test and Training Range. Credit: NASA/Keegan Barber
Asteroid Sample Retrieval
On September 24, the OSIRIS-REx mission brought back a sample from the asteroid Bennu, marking NASA’s first space-acquired asteroid sample and the most substantial one yet retrieved. This collection of rock and dust is composed of material dating back to the early solar system and may provide clues about the origin of life.
Preliminary examinations at NASA’s Johnson Space Center suggest that the sample contains significant amounts of carbon and water, hinting that the components for life on Earth might be found within these ancient rocks. The sample from Bennu will be distributed among various space agencies and research institutions, offering scientists insights into our solar system’s history.
NASA’s X-59 aircraft showcased at Lockheed Martin’s facility in Palmdale, California. Credit: Lockheed Martin
Innovations in Aeronautics
The X-59, NASA’s modern supersonic aircraft, is anticipated to commence test flights in 2024.
As a principal component of the Quesst mission, NASA intends for the X-59 to showcase supersonic travel while minimizing the disruptive sonic boom to a mere “sonic thump.” This effort aims to provide crucial data that could lead to the amendment of current aviation regulations prohibiting commercial supersonic travel over land, which could drastically shorten flight durations.
The final stages of this mission will involve the X-59 flying over multiple U.S. cities to collect community feedback on the subdued sonic disturbances.
Additional Information on the Featured Technologies
The TEMPO instrument’s development is overseen by NASA Langley’s Science Directorate, in cooperation with the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, built by Ball Aerospace, and fitted onto Intelsat 40E by Maxar.
The MOXIE experiment is a product of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s ingenuity, with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory managing the project for the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate.
The OSIRIS-REx mission was launched on September 8, 2016, spearheaded by the University of Arizona, managed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, and is part of the agency’s Science Mission Directorate’s New Frontiers Program.
The Low-Boom Flight Demonstration project is directed by NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in California, with the X-59 Quesst being overseen by NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia, under the auspices of NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate.
Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about NASA 2023 innovations
What is MOXIE and how has it contributed to NASA’s innovations?
MOXIE, the Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment aboard the Perseverance rover, has successfully created oxygen from the Martian atmosphere. This technology, which could provide future astronauts with breathable air and rocket propellant, was recognized as one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2023.
How is the TEMPO mission improving our understanding of air quality?
The TEMPO mission has deployed the first space-based instrument that measures air pollution hourly across North America during daytime. It enhances our understanding of pollution patterns and assists in improving air quality alerts.
What is significant about the asteroid sample returned by the OSIRIS-REx mission?
The OSIRIS-REx mission returned a sample from asteroid Bennu, which is the first and largest asteroid sample collected by NASA. Analysis of this sample could provide insights into the origins of life and the early solar system.
How will NASA’s X-59 aircraft impact the future of supersonic flight?
The X-59 aircraft is designed to fly at supersonic speeds while reducing the sonic boom to a “sonic thump,” which could lead to changes in regulations currently prohibiting commercial supersonic flight over land. This advancement could significantly reduce flight times.
More about NASA 2023 innovations
- NASA’s Perseverance Rover
- TIME’s Best Inventions of 2023
- MOXIE: Making Oxygen on Mars
- TEMPO Mission Overview
- OSIRIS-REx Sample Return
- X-59 QueSST: The Future of Supersonic Flight
- NASA’s Innovative Technologies
5 comments
read about tempo in my morning paper, hourly pollution tracking could be a gamechanger for cities.
is it just me or does NASA seem to be hitting it out of the park lately, go science!
so the X-59 is going to change flights forever? flying fast without the boom, sign me up!
gotta say I’m impressed with the whole asteroid sample thing, is this how we start finding new materials and stuff?
Wow, this NASA stuff is mind-blowing really making oxygen on Mars now, who would’ve thought?