These are independent reviews of the products mentioned, but TIME receives a commission when purchases are made through affiliate links at no additional cost to the purchaser.
If astronauts ever land on Mars, they’ll need air to breathe and (barring one-way colonization) a way to get home. We are closer to both possibilities thanks to NASA’s MOXIE (Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment), a small device attached to Mars’ Perseverance rover that separates oxygen atoms from the limited amount of carbon dioxide in Mars’ atmosphere. Over more than a year, MOXIE generated 122 grams of oxygen—NASA called it “approximately what a small dog breathes in 10 hours”—but it’s a crucial proof of concept. Since oxygen (combined with hydrogen) fuels engines, the tech could also supply “rocket propellant to future astronauts,” says NASA deputy administrator Pam Melroy.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Breaking Down the 2024 Election Calendar
- How Ukraine Beat Russia in the Battle of the Black Sea
- The Reintroduction of Kamala Harris
- Long COVID Looks Different in Kids
- What a $129 Frying Pan Says About America’s Eating Habits
- The 1 Heart-Health Habit You Should Start When You’re Young
- Cuddling Might Help You Get Better Sleep
- The 50 Best Romance Novels to Read Right Now