Developments of Bosch Process Architectures for ISRU Terrestrial Applications

Beau Compton; Jackson Stewart

NASA NTRS · 20240007297

Developments of Bosch Process Architectures for ISRU Terrestrial Applications

Abstract

To effectively realize NASA’s goals of a sustainable presence on the Moon and be-yond, In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) must be leveraged. To reduce launch mass for space missions, commodities such as oxygen and carbon can be produced in-situ. Oxygen can be used for life support and as a propellant, and carbon can be used for battery production, filtration, additive manufacturing, and steel casting. Carbon is a required reactant in the carbothermal reduction process, a leading candidate for oxygen production on the lunar surface. To pro-duce these consumables, the Carbon Utilization Technology for Lunar and Atmospheric Systems (CUTLAS) project is developing architectures that leverage the Bosch process. The Bosch process re-acts CO 2 and H 2 to produce carbon powder and water, which can then be electrolyzed, leaving O 2 and recycled H 2 . This process is also applicable to carbon dioxide emissions on Earth.

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Beau Compton, Jackson Stewart. Developments of Bosch Process Architectures for ISRU Terrestrial Applications. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20240007297

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