The document describes a prototype integrated Mars atmosphere and soil processing system called MARCO POLO. It includes modules to collect and process Mars atmosphere and regolith to produce fuel, water, and other resources. Testing was conducted at NASA's Johnson Space Center using Mars simulant instead of real Martian materials. The system includes atmospheric processing, water processing, soil processing, power production, and distribution modules to operate autonomously in a closed-loop system.

1. Prototype Development of an
Integrated Mars Atmosphere and Soil
Processing System
Michael Interbartolo III
MARCO POLO Project Manager
NASA - JSC

2. • Mars Atmosphere and Regolith COllector/PrOcessor
for Lander Operations
• First generation integrated Mars soil and atmospheric
processing system with mission relevant direct current
power
– 10 KW Fuel Cell for 14 hrs of daytime operations
– 1KW Fuel Cell for 10 hrs of night time operations
• Demonstrates closed loop power production via the
combination of a fuel cell and electrolyzer.
– The water we make and electrolyze during the day is the
consumables for the 1KW Fuel Cell that night
• Planned for remote and autonomous operations
What is MARCO POLO?

3. • While NASA Design Reference Architecture 5.0 showed that
production of propellants and life support consumables was a
mission enabling capability, mission planners were hesitant to
select the newly proposed water extraction from Mars soil option
due to the perceived high risk associated with this approach.
• To overcome resistance in putting ISRU capabilities in the critical
path of mission success, NASA ISRU developers have adopted the
approach of designing and building hardware into end-to-end
systems at representative mission scales and testing these systems
under mission relevant conditions at analog field test sites.
– In the past used large components that were independently
developed, powered by Alternating current generators and had to be
manually controlled.
History of ISRU at NASA

4. Evolution of the Field Demo

5. • In May 2011 AES/OCT pulled FY12
funding for Mars ISRU which
precluded our ability to attend the
3rd International Hawaii Analogue
Field Test in 2012
• Team came up with plan to perform
Integrated testing at the JSC
Planetary Analog Site using Mars
Simulant instead of Tephra from the
slopes of Mauna Kea
– Can still perform 24 hr operations and utilize Mission
control for remote operations
– Fuel Cell consumables is much easier at JSC vs
Mauna Kea due to availability of the tube trailer
Field Demo Location Change

6. Programmatic Objectives
comparison
JSC Hawaii
Expand NASA and CSA partnership; Include other International
Partners in analogues
YES, nothing preventing CSA
from participating
YES
Expand integration of Science & Engineering for exploration,
particularly with ISRU
YES continue JSC & KSC
institutional ISRU
development
YES
Utilize analog activities and operations to develop and enhance
mission concepts and integrate new technologies; Improve remote
operations and control
YES, YES
Evaluate parallel paths and test hardware under stressful
environmental conditions to evolve TRL and improve path to flight
YES YES
Be synergistic with other analogue test activities (past and future) YES YES
Public Outreach, Education, and “Participatory Exploration” YES, could invite local schools
to provide excavators
YES

7. Technical Objectives
Comparison
JSC Hawaii
Perform early deployment of advanced and “Game Changing” technologies
applicable to multiple destinations before integration into future missions.
YES YES
Increase the fidelity and scope of surface system element integration and
operations; continue development and integration of “Space Resource Utilization
Mining Cycle“
YES YES
Develop and enhance exploration operation mission concepts YES YES
Improve remote operations & control of hardware for surface exploration and
science
YES YES
Promote use of common software, interfaces, & standards for control and operation YES YES
Focus on interfaces, standards, and requirements YES YES
Focus on modularity and ‘plug n play’ integration YES YES

8. Lander at Critical Design Review
M. Interbartolo
Atmo Processing
Module:
•CO2 capture from Mixed Mars
atmosphere (KSC)
•Sabatier converts H2 and CO2 into
Methane and water (JSC)
Water Processing
Module: (JSC)
•Currently can process 520g/hr of
water (max 694 g/hr)
1KW Fuel Cell and consumable
storage (JSC & GRC)
•Using metal hydride for H2 storage due to available
•1KW No Flow Through FC (GRC)
•10KW FC not shown (JSC)
Liquefaction
Module: (TBD)
•Common bulkhead tank for
Methane and Oxygen liquid storage
Soil Processing
Module:
•Soil Hopper handles 30kg (KSC)
•Soil dryer uses CO2 sweep gas and
500 deg C to extract water (JSC)
C&DH/PDU Module: (JSC)
•Central executive S/W
•Power distribution
Water Cleanup
Module: (KSC)
•Cleans water prior to electrolysis
•Provides clean water storage
Life Detection Drill:
(ARC-Honeybee)
•Replaces excavator mockup
•Takes core samples
•Provides some feed to Soil Dryer
3m x 3m octagon lander deck

9. Atmospheric Processing Module

10. Methane
Dryer
Sabatier
Methane
Separator
CO2
Freezer
Chiller
Mixed
Mars
Input
Atmospheric Processing Module
CO2 ballast tanks not shown

11. Atmospheric Processing
Operations
Mars
Mix
CO2
freezer
Sabatier
Reactor
(~600
deg C)
Condenser
CH4/H2
Separator
CH4
Dryer
CH4
storage
88 g/hr CO2
@ 50 PSI
95% CO2,
3% N2,
2% Ar at
10.8
mbar
71.3 g/hr H2O
31.7 g/hr CH4
2 g/hr H2
H2O
CH4
H2
H2O
16.2 g/hr H2
H2O
CH4
CH4
H2O
Electrolysis
Stacks
CO2
freezer
2 g/hr H2
Water Processing Module
Water Cleanup
Module
Ballast
tank
Ballast
tank

12. CO2 Freezer Test Stand
•Several designs of the cold head have been
tested
•Ferris wheel design produces the best
CO2 for the surface area to mass ratio
•Using a cryocooler to reach the
needed 150K (-123C/-190F) at 8 mbar
•Settled on 85 minute cycles of
freezing/sublimation to meet the needed 88
grams/hour for the Sabatier Reactor
•Will use ballast tanks to capture the CO2
after sublimation to then feed the Sabatier
at 50 psi

13. Sabatier Test Stand
•Testing determined that 4.5:1 ratio of H2 to CO2
was optimum for the reaction with the ruthenium
catalyst
•Uses cold ice bath for condensing instead of the
Water Cleanup module
•Methane separator is not functional
•Could not keep up with flow rate
•Looked at using electrolyzer stack to act as
hydrogen separator, but proved unstable
•Could not find replacement COTS version
•Looked into potential of hollow
membrane system
•Cryocart team was okay with hydrogen/methane
mix
•Would improve thruster performance
•They can vent off hydrogen bubble from
methane dewar since it would not liquefy

14. Soil Processing Module

15. • SPM Consists of:
– Feed System
– Dryer System (Dryer + Fluid System)
– Electronics/Power
• Objective:
– Transfer simulant/soil/regolith
– Process simulant/soil/regolith to liberate water
• Process Overview:
– Excavators deposit soil into a hopper
– Hopper transfers soil into the dryer
– Dryer heats soil and sweeps water into
condenser
– Process repeats
Soil Processing Module
FEED SYSTEM
DRYER
DRYER BOP &
ELECTRONICS

16. Soil Processing Module
Concept of Operations
FEED
SYSTEM
DRYER
SYSTEM
SOIL
H2O + Sweep
Gas
Sweep Gas
18oC < T < 45oC
10 psia < P < 14.7 psia
2” Tube @ 0.813 m (32 in)
75oC < T < 110oC
5 psig < P < 20 psig
¼” Tube @ 0.726 m (30 in)
5 psig < P < 20 psig 15oC <
T < 30oC
¼” Tube @ any height
18oC < T < 45oC
10 psia < P < 14.7 psia
Ground Level
DAQ POWER
DAQ
MAIN
PDU
SOILSOIL

17. Three tests to date using Sandman and JSC-Mars-1A
Simulant (Batch Size: 6 kg)
Simulant
Processing
Time (hrs)
Simulant
Processing
Time (min)
Total Batch
Time (min)
Number of
Batches per
Day
Water
per Batch
(g)
Total
Water/Day
(g)
1.5 90 2 7 66 465
2 120 2.5 6 241 1349
2.5 150 3 5 388 1787
3 180 3.5 4 512 2050
3.5 210 4 4 616 2156
4 240 4.5 3 703 2178
4.5 270 5 3 775 2171
5 300 5.5 3 838 2094
5.5 330 6 2 892 2052
6 360 6.5 2 943 1980
6.5 390 7 2 992 1985
7 420 7.5 2 1044 1880
7.5 450 8 2 1102 1873
8 480 8.5 2 1168 1870
• If dryer feedstock is 6 kg unspent JSC-Mars-1A,
operating temperature ~115oC, flow rate ~10 slpm, &
pressure ~25 psia
– 3 batches/day (4 hours for processing, 0.5 hours for
feed/unload)
– ~700 g of water/batch → ~ 2100 g of water/day
(hrs)
– MWE-001: Heated to 500oC
• Flow Rate: 20 slpm
• Pressure: ~25 psia
– MWE-002: Heated to ~120oC, then
~220oC
• Flow Rate: ~10 slpm
• Pressure: ~25 psia
– MWE-003: Not heated, then heated to
~120oC
• Flow Rate: ~10 slpm
• Pressure: ~25 psia
TEST SETUP

18. Water Cleanup Module

19. Water Cleanup Module
Membrane
Clean Water Tank
Dirty Water Tank
Liquid-Liquid HEx
DI Resin
Condenser
Gas-Gas HEx
Gas-Gas HEx
Freon Reservoir
Coolant Reservoir

20. Water Clean Up Operations
Water
Cleanup
Water/CO2
Inlet
Deionizer Clean water
outlet
H2/CH4
Outlet
Fuel Cell
Water inlet
Water
storage
tank
CO2 Outlet
Water/CH4/
H2 Inlet
Dirty
Water
tank
Condenser
Soil Processing Module:
• Inlet:
• Up to 20slpm H2O/CO2
• ~50psig
• ~200degC
• Outlet:
• Up to 20slpm CO2-trace H2O
• ~45psig (expected pressure drop of 5 psi)
• ~5degC
Atmospheric Processing Module:
• Inlet:
– ~3 slpm (up to 5slpm)
CH4/H2O/trace CO2-H2
– ~50psig
– ~200degC
• Outlet:
– ~2slpm CH4/trace H2O/trace CO2-
H2
– ~48psig (expected pressure drop of
1-2 psi)
– ~5degC
Water Processing Module:
• Outlet:
• Up to 170ml/min
• 85 psig max
• 25degC

21. Water Transfer Plan
• Water will be transferred three times a day at approximately 4.5 hrs, 9.0hrs, and 13.5hrs
– Transfer times were used to maintain water level above level sensor immeasurable region and below the separator
tank capacity
– Separator tanks will be full and ready for operation at the beginning of each day
– No water transfer into the system overnight required
Water Cleanup
Module
Water Processing
Module

22. Water Processing Module

23. Water Processing Module
O2 Drying
H2 Drying
Fork Lift
Spaces
Water Loops
Electrical
Components/
CRIO
Access Doors

24. Water Processing Operations
Deionizer Hydrogen Dryer
Oxygen
Dryer
Hydrogen
Outlet
Oxygen
OutletCompact Rio
Control Node
Water inlet
Electrolyzer Stacks
H2 Sep
Tank
O2 Sep
Tank
•Processing 522 g/hr of water @ 3KW of power (max is 695 g/hr @~5KW)
•Maximum pressure: 400psig
•Temperature range: 5-65°C
•Water flow rate range: 3.6-12 LPM/stack
•Gas flow rates range:
•H2: 5.4-7.2 SLPM/stack
•O2: 2.7-3.6 SLPM/stack

25. 2nd Generation Electrolyzer System

26. Power Production and storage
•1KW shown
•10KW not shown
•O2 storage under
the lander

27. Power Production
10KW Fuel Cell (117
cells): Advanced Passive-
Flow-Through (PFT) with
Ejector/Regulator
technology
1KW Fuel Cell (32 cells):
Advanced Passive-Flow-
Through (PFT) with
Ejector/Regulator
technology
1KW Fuel Cell (40 cells):
Non-Flow-Through (NFT)
technology
demonstration

28. Differences between a flow-through and
non-flow-through fuel cell system

29. Power Distribution and Software

30. Power Distribution
ESTA Modular PDU design
3 200A High Power Distribution Unit (HPDU)
 1 50 A Medium Power Distribution Unit
(MPDU)
 1 7.5A Low Power Distribution Unit (LPDU)
 Data and Control Unit (lab view controlled)
 Diode and Fuse box
HPDU
HPDUHPDU
Fuel
cell
Ground
Power
MPDU
16 channels 50A
LPDU
16 channels 7.5A
High Power
Loads
High Power
Loads
Fuel
cell
Medium
Power Loads
Low Power
Loads

31. • Distributed, embedded command, control and
communications architecture
• Uses National Instruments CompactRioTM as
control node for each module
– This will allow for standalone testing as well as
facilitate integrated remote operations
• LabVIEWTM will provide the Human/System
Interface
Software

32. • Hawaii was ruled out last summer with the loss of AES/OCT support
• JSC Rockyard was cancelled in January due to insufficient funds to
complete the project
– Soil Processing Module not built
• leveraged the Sandman test rig for Mars soil data
– Atmospheric Module not built
• CO2 Freezer test stand and Sabatier test stands built
– Lander structure not built
• Currently working towards Regen Fuel Cell demonstration with the
MMSEV
– Will use the core Water Clean up and Water Processing Modules as well as the
PDUs to demonstrate a refueling depot that the MMSEV periodically docks
with for resupply
• Long Term Goal to continue to refine the ISRU technologies for potential
2018 robotic mission using a SpaceX ‘Red Dragon’ capsule as part of an
Ames lead science effort.
Current Status

33. MMSEV Demo Concept
Water
Processing
Module
Water
Clean up
Module
Active
Umbilical
Plate
Passive
Umbilcal
Plate
3KW PFT
Fuel Cell
O2
Tank
H2
Tank
Refueling station
Water
storage
MMSEV PUP
KSC provided Umbilical
plates
10KW Fuel Cell
Diode Fuse Box
PDUs distributing
power (3HPDU, 1
C&DH)
MMSEV

34. Any Questions?
Ultimate Destination - Mars
Follow us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/NASA.ISRU

35. BACKUP

36. CO2 Freezer Development
Requirement: 88 g CO2/hr @ 50 psia
Based on Lockheed
6” fins
~5 g/hr
Cold tip + 1x3/4” rod
~60 g/hr
Cold tip + 1x3/4” rod + Al fins
~20 g/hr
2x2.5” machined fins
~35 g/hr

37. CO2 Freezer Testing
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
70.0
80.0
90.0
100.0
59.0%
60.0%
61.0%
62.0%
63.0%
64.0%
65.0%
66.0%
67.0%
68.0%
69.0%
1.00 1.10 1.20 1.30 1.40 1.50 1.60
C
O
2
C
o
l
l
e
c
t
i
o
n
R
a
t
e
(
g
/
h
r
)
%
C
O
2
C
a
p
t
u
r
e
E
f
f
i
c
i
e
n
c
y
CO2 Flow Rate (L/min)
Optimization of Mars Gas Simulant Flow Rate for Ferris Wheel (#2)
Configuration Coldhead Design
CO2 Flow Rate (L/min) vs % CO2 Capture Efficiency CO2 Flow Rate (L/min) vs CO2 Collection Rate (g/hr)

38. 92.00%
93.00%
94.00%
95.00%
96.00%
97.00%
98.00%
99.00%
100.00%
4.00 4.04 4.10 4.15 4.20 4.25
Comparison of H2/CO2 Ratio to Reactor Efficiency
Runs 20, 22-26
ReactorEfficiency
4.00 4.05 4.10 4.15 4.20 4.25 4.30 4.35 4.40 4.45 4.50
H2/CO2 Ratio
Literature shows that the
reaction should have an
efficiency greater than 99%
when the mole ratio is higher
than 4.51
Sabatier Testing
Mixture Ratio vs. Reactor Efficiency

39. WCM Build Up

40. WCM Testing
Nafion membrane thickness vs. temperature
0.000
0.005
0.010
0.015
0.020
0.025
0.030
0.035
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
WaterFlux(g/cm2-min)
Nitrogen Flow Rate (L/min)
254um - 20C 254um - 80C
51um - 20C 51um - 80C
51 m – 20C
Temperature and membrane thickness effect on water flux versus dry nitrogen flow on the permeate side

41. WCM testing
Contamination(chlorine and fluorine) rejection
vs. flow rate and membrane thickness
Ion rejection (i.e., ion in retentate) as a function gas flow rate for two membrane thickness
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
95
100
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
IonRejection(%)
Nitrogen Flow Rate (L/min)
51um thickness, Cl-
254um thickness, Cl-
51um thickness, F-
254nm thickness, F-
51 m thickness, Cl-
254 m thickness, Cl-
51 m thickness, F-

42. Separator
Tanks
Air/Liquid
HX
Electrolysis
Stacks ( 12-cell
liquid-anode
feed)
DI
Beds
Back
Pressure
Regulators
Sight
Glass
Gas
Drying
Desiccant
Beds
Motorized
Ball Valves
Desiccant
Beds
Solenoid
Valves
Purge
Lines
Sweep
Gas Vent
Lines
Water Loops
WPM detailed
CAD

43. WPM testing
Regenerative Dryer concepts
Media Date Gas FR Type of regeneration Energy Heat Up At Temp Cool Down Total Time H2O Removed Amt desiccant N2 Rqd
SLPM watt-hrs min min min min g g g
Drierite - Du-Cal 5/6/2011 5 N2 Sweep Gas 121.1 32.9 58.3 63.5 154.8 7.7 109.8 569.9
Drierite - Du-Cal 5/5/2011 5 N2 Sweep Gas 80.4 27.4 29.4 65.4 122.3 2.7 109.8 355.0
Drierite - Du-Cal 5/3/2011 5 N2 Sweep Gas 52.6 28.7 5.5 64.7 98.8 0.4 109.8 213.4
Drierite - Du-Cal 4/25/2011 - N2 Sweep Gas 73.6 26.6 23.5 74.9 125.0 3.3 111.0 312.8
average = 81.9 28.9 29.2 67.1 125.2 3.5 110.1 362.8
stdev= 28.7 2.8 21.9 5.3 22.9 3.1 0.6 150.3
Drierite - Du-Cal 4/22/2011 - Vacuum 601.0 23.8 59.7 86.3 169.8 3.7 109.0 -
Drierite - Du-Cal 5/5/2011 - Vacuum 818.1 24.9 89.3 62.5 176.7 1.9 109.8 -
Drierite - Du-Cal 5/3/2011 - Vacuum 525.8 25.8 46.8 47.3 120.0 1.4 109.8 -
average = 648.3 24.9 65.3 65.4 155.5 2.3 109.5 -
stdev= 151.8 1.0 21.8 19.6 30.9 1.2 0.5 -
Drierite - Du-Cal 4/12/2011 - Vent 125.8 62.6 27.2 75.6 165.3 0.4 109.0 -
Molecular Sieve 13X 4/27/2011 1->5 N2 Sweep Gas 312.5 35.0 239.6 84.0 358.6 7.9 69.1 1715.0
Molecular Sieve 13X 4/29/2011 5 N2 Sweep Gas 142.1 63.0 19.9 70.5 153.4 3.7 69.1 517.9
Molecular Sieve 13X 5/2/2011 5 N2 Sweep Gas 177.4 79.0 28.1 63.5 170.6 9.4 69.1 668.8
average = 159.7 71.0 24.0 67.0 162.0 6.6 69.1 593.4
stdev= 24.9 11.3 5.8 4.9 12.1 4.0 0.0 106.7
Molecular Sieve 13X 4/26/2011 - Vacuum 607.2 38.6 43.5 73.6 155.7 5.1 71.7 -
Molecular Sieve 13X 4/28/2011 - Vacuum 794.8 44.7 60.8 63.2 168.7 11.3 69.1 -
Molecular Sieve 13X 4/29/2011 - Vacuum 623.9 31.5 52.1 64.8 148.3 1.2 69.1 -
average = 675.3 38.3 52.1 67.2 157.6 5.9 70.0 -
stdev= 103.8 6.6 8.7 5.6 10.3 5.1 1.5 -

44. Soil Dryer Up close
• Design Details
– Single Batch Processor
– 60o Conical Chamber (From Horizontal)
– Helical Agitator
– Blanket External Heater
– Internal Heaters
– Simulant Enters/Exit through Valves
– Gas Flow into Bottom through Top
– Max Simulant Temperature: 500oC
– Max Vessel Pressure: 20 psig
• Mass: 100 kg (220 lbs)
• Vessel Volume: 15863 cm3 (968 in3)
12.4”
17.1”
44.9”
18.0”11.5”

45. Command, control and communications
architecture showing local control nodes and
remote user interface stations.