Re:Scientists find likely source of methane on Mars
by jayalpha on Wednesday April 03, 2019 @11:39AM
(#19564240)
Ok, then you assume that you have accessible water too.
Still need the Energy for electrolysis. But with solar or nuclear it may be possible.
Re:Scientists find likely source of methane on Mars
by elsonrodriguez on Wednesday April 03, 2019 @12:27PM
(#19564711)
Most serious Mars return missions plan on simply bringing 1 ton of hydrogen per every 10 tons of desired methane.
That way you can just rely on the martian atmosphere to produce your return fuel instead of embarking on a entire mining expedition.
O2 and CH4 (methane) = rocket fuel
H2 + CO2(from atmosphere) + pressure + heat = CH4(more methane) + H2O https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabatier_reaction
Basically some (SpaceX) have already been planning to use electrolysis of water ice and atmospheric CO2 to create Methane and Oxygen to get rocket fuel via the Sabatier reaction.
Finding existing Methane doesn't change a ton since the building blocks were there anyway, but it may be less energy consuming and complex to mine/melt methane directly and just deal with splitting water by electrolysis, which you were going to have to do anyway to feed the Sabatier Reaction.