# Toward Building Sustainable Mars Infrastructure: A CO2‐Breathing Plasma Thruster for Orbit Maintenance and In Situ Oxygen Generation

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a CO2-breathing plasma thruster that can generate thrust and produce oxygen from the Martian atmosphere, supporting sustainable infrastructure for Mars missions.

## Contribution

The novelty lies in the dual functionality of the thruster for propulsion and in situ oxygen generation using CO2 from Mars.

## Key findings

- The thruster produced over 1 N of thrust at input powers between 0.1 and 1 kW.
- Optical spectroscopy confirmed CO2 dissociation and atomic oxygen emission at 777.1 nm.
- The system shows potential for orbit maintenance and oxygen generation without stored propellant.

## Abstract

This study explores a dual‐use CO2‐breathing plasma thruster capable of operating in very low Martian orbits (80–160 km), delivering electric propulsion and in situ oxygen generation. Experimental results demonstrate a thrust of over 1 N at input powers ranging from 0.1 to 1 kW across varying discharge frequencies. Optical emission spectroscopy reveals strong emission at 777.1 nm corresponding to atomic oxygen, along with spectral features of CO and CO2, confirming the effective dissociation of CO2 within the plasma. These findings support the viability of propulsion systems as multifunctional platforms for future Mars missions, enabling both aerial/ground mobility and human habitats without stored propellant gas.

This study demonstrates a CO2‐breathing plasma thruster capable of producing high thrust and generating oxygen directly from the Martian atmosphere. By combining propulsion with in situ resource utilization, the system enables long‐duration satellite orbit maintenance and supports future human exploration. Experiments show strong thrust scaling with altitude and clear spectroscopic evidence of CO2 dissociation.