Die Erkundung des Weltraumes. Konzepte zukünftiger Marsmissionen unter Nutzung der Marsressourcen : Space and spatial. Interdisciplinary perspectives

The exploration of space, and especially of our nearest neighbours in space, is of special importance to the question of the origin of life. Here, a sample-return mission to Mars could provide very valuable indices. Return missions, however, are realisable only with very high total expenditure with the present state of technology. New concepts, therefore, suggest in-situ resource utilisation, e.g. to produce the propellants needed for the return to Earth. One day, similar systems could become important elements of a manned Mars mission. The article introduces the basic idea and describes as examples two processes, the Sabatier process and the regenerative high-temperature solid-oxide fuel cell.