WSPC demonstrates a jet engine that burns Mars' CO2 atmosphere with magnesium powder
CatAstro_Piyush · x · 2026-10-24
A forwarded post highlights Wickman Spacecraft & Propulsion Company (WSPC), which under NASA funding built and ground-tested a turbojet that burns fuel with carbon dioxide directly. Since Mars' atmosphere is 95% CO2, such an engine could 'breathe' the Martian air like a jet engine on Earth, eliminating the need to carry most propellant. The key trick is burning magnesium powder directly with CO2; magnesium is believed to exist in Martian soil and is abundant on Earth, making the concept a candidate for future Mars airplane missions.
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