Movers & Shakers
LATITUDE
CubeSats are deployed from the International Space Station. -artist’s rendering courtesy NASA
SPACE TRUCKIN'
MUST YOU REALLY TO PACK ALL THAT OXYGEN? WE’RE ONLY GOING TO MARS What’s a critical thing to pack when you’re embarking on that Mars adventure your species has been
skills to design an impactful solution for further space exploration,” Ms. Fader says in a U of C news story. Based on its calculations, the team estimated it would take more than 800 tonnes of oxygen to support life on Mars for just a handful of astronauts. Shipping costs would be extraordinary. But what if, instead, the new folks on Mars used atmospheric carbon dioxide that’s already there to create oxygen? The students devised a four-part process that involves electrochemically splitting carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide and oxygen, with the potentially harmful carbon monoxide being transformed into useful byproducts. If the method proves itself futher, it could save $3 billion in today’s dollars in shipping costs. “When people first hear about this project, they see this as a fantasy project almost. We were able to show that no, this is really a reality,” Ms. Fader told the CBC. “Some of our group members are very into space and want to pursue this by all means, so we’re excited to see where it goes.”
dreaming, writing, and scheming about for decades? Better not leave behind your oxygen, that’s for sure. A group of chemical engineering students at the University of Calgary decided to take a close look at what that would involve—and whether there are options to filling up every nook and cranny in a fleet of rockets with something to breath at your destination. A solution the students have suggested, as you may have guessed, involves creating oxygen on the planet itself. The team—including Laura Fader , a student member of APEGA—nabbed first place for its work at the U of C’s 2018 Engineering Design Fair. The annual event showcases the final offerings of Schulich School of Engineering undergraduates who have spent months envisioning, designing, and modelling their projects. “Our project gave us the opportunity to explore a subject we’re passionate about and use our engineering
SUMMER 2018 PEG | 43
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