Feasibility of Rocket Propellant Production on Mars
| Author | R. L. Ash, W. L. Dowler, G. Varsi |
|---|---|
| Published | 1978 |
| Format | Research paper |
TL;DR — A 1978 JPL study showing that making methane and oxygen propellant on Mars from atmospheric CO2 and soil water could cut the mass a return mission must land by more than half.
Published in Acta Astronautica vol. 5 (1978), pp. 705–724, by three authors at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Drawing on new data from the Viking landers, the paper examines whether an empty Mars ascent vehicle could be refuelled from local resources rather than carrying its propellant from Earth.
The system it analyses uses atmospheric carbon dioxide and water extracted from soil to make liquid methane and oxygen. The abstract’s conclusion is that the landed mass of such a plant is less than half the mass of the ascent vehicle it fuels, which could allow direct sample return without an automated rendezvous in Mars orbit. It is an early statement of in-situ resource utilisation, the idea later central to Mars mission plans.
What it is: a peer-reviewed journal paper, often cited as an early in-situ propellant study. This copy is a ResearchGate download uploaded by the lead author.
Where this came from
- A copy saved in October 2026.
21 pages. A PDF copy is held in Kyle’s private archive; it is not linked or shared here.