China’s space research advances with first-ever oxygen and fuel production in microgravity

A groundbreaking series of experiments aboard China's space station has successfully produced oxygen and key ingredients for rocket fuel, marking essential steps for human survival and future space exploration.

The crew of Shenzhou-19, aboard the Tiangong space station, executed the world’s first in-orbit demonstration of artificial photosynthesis technology, Caliber.Az reports via South China Morning Post (SCMP).

This achievement not only generated oxygen but also produced essential rocket fuel ingredients, laying the groundwork for long-term space missions, such as a crewed moon landing planned before 2030.

The 12 experiments were conducted inside a drawer-shaped device using semiconductor catalysts to convert carbon dioxide and water into oxygen while producing ethylene, a hydrocarbon that can be utilized in spacecraft propellants.

The China Manned Space (CMS) website highlighted that the tests focused on critical technologies for resource production and human survival, such as carbon dioxide conversion at room temperature, precise control of gas and liquid flows in microgravity, and real-time, high-sensitivity detection of reaction products.

“This technology simulates the natural photosynthesis process of green plants through engineered physical and chemical methods, utilizing carbon dioxide from confined spaces or extraterrestrial atmospheres to produce oxygen and carbon-based fuels,” state broadcaster CCTV reported. The innovation is expected to provide essential technical support for human survival and space exploration, according to the report.

While previous experiments on the International Space Station (ISS) explored plant growth and the effects of microgravity on natural photosynthesis, the ISS relies on electrolysis to produce oxygen. This process, though effective, is energy-intensive and unsuitable for long-duration missions to the moon or Mars, as noted by catalysis expert Katharina Brinkert from the University of Bremen in Germany. Her team reported in the journal Nature Communications in 2023 that oxygen production on the ISS consumes about one-third of the total energy required for its environmental control and life support system.

Chinese researchers began investigating the concept of "extraterrestrial artificial photosynthesis" in 2015. Unlike traditional high-temperature, high-pressure carbon dioxide reduction methods, the novel technology operates efficiently at room temperature and standard atmospheric pressure, significantly reducing energy usage. By adjusting the catalyst, the technology can be tailored to produce a variety of products, including methane or ethylene for propulsion, or formic acid, a precursor for synthesizing sugars.

In addition to generating oxygen and carbon-based fuels, the device aboard Tiangong has gathered valuable data on gas-liquid-solid multiphase chemical processes in microgravity. It is designed for in-orbit upgrades, allowing scientists to test different catalysts and reactions.

By Tamilla Hasanova