kit-kit
02-25-2010, 12:32 PM
Evidently the Bloom Energy box (one of these devices the size of a 6-pack can power your home) is based on technology developed for use on Mars to manufacture oxygen (one of the elements in oxides, remember "oh-two") from the Mars' soil surface.
Lorrie's post from NASA about the lunar module being stuck and its spinning tires excavating to reveal material below the surface which scientists then analyzed:
*****
From the beginning, the rovers' motto has been "follow the water." Both rovers have been searching Mars for minerals formed in the presence of H<sub>2</sub>O. Mars appears dry today, but minerals can provide clues that water was once there.
"It's been easy for Opportunity to find such minerals," explains Arvidson. "Opportunity landed in an ancient lake bed. Spirit has had to work much harder. Spirit landed in basaltic plains formed by lava flows chewed up by repeated meteoroid impacts. There's been little evidence of anything that was ever very wet."
But when Spirit reached an area of Mars called the "Columbia Hills," the whole complexion of the mission changed. "Spirit came across iron hydroxide, a mineral that forms in the presence of water. That alerted us to the change. We started coming across more and more rocks formed in the presence of water." Then Spirit got stuck in a patch of loose soil on the edge of a small crater. Heavy sigh. Stuck again.
But wait!
"Spirit had to get stuck to make its next discovery," says Arvidson.
As the rover tried to break free, its wheels began to churn up the soil, uncovering sulfates underneath.
"Sulfates are minerals just beneath the surface that shout to us that they were formed in steam vents, since steam has sulfur in it. Steam is associated with hydrothermal activity – evidence of water-charged explosive volcanism. Such areas could have once supported life."
"And most amazingly, the boundary between the sulfate-rich soil and the soil with just the generic concentration of sulfates runs right down the middle of the stranded rover. Spirit is lodged on the edge of a crater -- sitting astride the boundary!"
See Lorrie's post for the entire article.
****
I think this means NASA's idea for chemically converting the iron hydroxide (the material all over the Red Planet) back into iron, hydrogen and oxygen, its elemental components (purportedly by the application of electricity - a non-combustion process) could definitely work!! Bloom Energy is reverse engineering the oxide fuel cell here on earth taking the elements, combining them, and producing electricity!!! FANTASTIC!!
Lorrie's post from NASA about the lunar module being stuck and its spinning tires excavating to reveal material below the surface which scientists then analyzed:
*****
From the beginning, the rovers' motto has been "follow the water." Both rovers have been searching Mars for minerals formed in the presence of H<sub>2</sub>O. Mars appears dry today, but minerals can provide clues that water was once there.
"It's been easy for Opportunity to find such minerals," explains Arvidson. "Opportunity landed in an ancient lake bed. Spirit has had to work much harder. Spirit landed in basaltic plains formed by lava flows chewed up by repeated meteoroid impacts. There's been little evidence of anything that was ever very wet."
But when Spirit reached an area of Mars called the "Columbia Hills," the whole complexion of the mission changed. "Spirit came across iron hydroxide, a mineral that forms in the presence of water. That alerted us to the change. We started coming across more and more rocks formed in the presence of water." Then Spirit got stuck in a patch of loose soil on the edge of a small crater. Heavy sigh. Stuck again.
But wait!
"Spirit had to get stuck to make its next discovery," says Arvidson.
As the rover tried to break free, its wheels began to churn up the soil, uncovering sulfates underneath.
"Sulfates are minerals just beneath the surface that shout to us that they were formed in steam vents, since steam has sulfur in it. Steam is associated with hydrothermal activity – evidence of water-charged explosive volcanism. Such areas could have once supported life."
"And most amazingly, the boundary between the sulfate-rich soil and the soil with just the generic concentration of sulfates runs right down the middle of the stranded rover. Spirit is lodged on the edge of a crater -- sitting astride the boundary!"
See Lorrie's post for the entire article.
****
I think this means NASA's idea for chemically converting the iron hydroxide (the material all over the Red Planet) back into iron, hydrogen and oxygen, its elemental components (purportedly by the application of electricity - a non-combustion process) could definitely work!! Bloom Energy is reverse engineering the oxide fuel cell here on earth taking the elements, combining them, and producing electricity!!! FANTASTIC!!