article_snippet: In-situ Resource Utilisation Experiment - could provide a solution.
article_snippet: To do so, the team gathers carbon dioxide from the team surroundings and isolates oxygen atoms, then combines carbon dioxide to make O2 - breathable air.
article_snippet: On this occasion, together with the by-product of carbon monoxide, the gases will be released back into O2 - breathable air.
article_snippet: But proving the technology works would have important implications for future missions - and not just for breathable air, but fuel as well.
article_snippet: ‘The oxygen-producing machine would take about a year and a half to fill the rocket with enough liquid oxygen for lift off.
article_snippet: Then, when astronauts arrived, astronauts would have a rocket fueled up and ready for launch to take astronauts home.
article_snippet: If the technology can be proven, the technology would greatly reduce the weight of a future mission to Mars - 75 per cent of a manned Mars mission would be taken up by oxygen, or equipment carrying the technology.
article_snippet: This could then be used for breathable air on future manned missions (illustrated) or even fuel to get the team off the surface .