In-Situ Propellant Production Technology at Kennedy Space Center.

The capability to produce propellant In-Situ is critical to NASA’s exploration goals. With approximately 90% of a rocket’s take-off weight being attributed to propellant, it would be unsustainable and inefficient to rely on resupply missions for all off-planet propellant needs. Whether to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, or deep space, the propellant demands of NASA and the commercial space industry will continue to expand beyond what current methods and infrastructure can supply. In-Situ propellant production is not only a possible solution, but a necessary requirement.

Recent advancements have brought In-Situ Propellant Production (ISPP) from an “attractive alternative” as first explored by Ash, Dowler and Varsi, to a fully demonstrated technology. The most notable advancement towards ISPP was the MOXIE demonstration on Mars, where NASA and MIT successfully extracted oxygen from the Mar’s atmosphere on board the Perseverance Rover through solid oxide electrolysis. Electrolysis is just one example of the many possible methods to create propellant in-situ, and researchers at Kennedy Space Center have been working to advance and expand ISPP technology. Kennedy Space Center has a history of performing ISRU based research, from lunar dust work in the Swamp Works lab to chemical processes in the Applied Chemistry Lab. More notably, KSC is known as the world’s leading spaceport, meaning KSC has the infrastructure, safety measures, and experience to handle rocket propellants on small and large scales. This combination of capabilities qualifies KSC to serve a supporting role for In-Situ Propellants and Consumable Production according to the most recent NASA STMD center roles. This paper will give an overview of the current ISPP efforts underway at KSC, including lunar and Martian ISPP, and touch upon the future work that is possible within the capabilities of KSC research and technology.