A Michigan Tech Alum Helped Develop a Way to Produce Oxygen on Mars

The thought of turning carbon dioxide into breathable oxygen doesn’t seem possible. But thanks to an alumna of Michigan Tech and her company OxEon Energy, that process doesn’t seem as daunting of a task. OxEon’s Chief Operating Officer Jessica Elwell and her senior design team developed and manufactured a solid Oxide electrolyzer that was used in the Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment, attached to the Mars Perseverance Rover launched in 2020. Since then the device used in the MOXIE experiment was named by Time Magazine as one of the best innovations in 2023. Because of the solid oxide electrolyzer future exploration on Mars will have air to breathe and the ability to produce propellant to support return trips to Earth. Elwell says that she credits her time at Michigan Technological University for giving her the tools needed to succeed in a precise field. Those interested to learn more about Jessica Elwell, or the Solid Oxide Electrolyzer designed by OxEon Energy can find more information here.