Apparatus and method for in-situ production of propellants using mars resources plasma assistance
By using a Mars resource plasma-assisted preparation device, water vapor and carbon dioxide are extracted using microwave heating and freeze separation technology. Combined with plasma reforming reaction, the problems of catalyst deactivation and high equipment energy consumption in the preparation of CO2 fuel in the Martian atmosphere are solved, achieving lightweight, low power consumption and high efficiency in the preparation of methane and oxygen.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- DEEP SPACE EXPLORATION LABORATORY
- Filing Date
- 2026-05-27
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-31
AI Technical Summary
Existing technologies for preparing CO2 fuel for the Martian atmosphere suffer from catalyst deactivation, large equipment size, and high energy consumption, making it difficult to meet the requirements of lightweight, low power consumption, and long lifespan for deep space exploration missions. Furthermore, they are poorly adaptable to the intermittent resource collection and processing in the Martian environment.
The device for in-situ propellant preparation using Martian resources plasma-assisted methods includes Martian regolith water extraction, Martian atmospheric carbon dioxide enrichment, and plasma-assisted reforming. Water vapor is extracted by microwave heating, carbon dioxide is captured by cryogenic separation, and reforming is carried out at ambient temperature and pressure. Methane and oxygen are purified by membrane separation components.
It enables efficient and stable preparation of methane and oxygen in the Martian environment, reduces equipment size and energy consumption, adapts to the extreme environment on the Martian surface, improves resource utilization and reaction stability, and supports the autonomy and reliability of deep space exploration missions.
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Figure CN122479680A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of in-situ utilization of Mars resources, specifically to an apparatus for in-situ propellant preparation using plasma-assisted methods from Mars resources. Background Technology
[0002] Mars, as the most promising extraterrestrial habitat target in the solar system, has an atmosphere rich in carbon dioxide (approximately 96%), making it the most direct and crucial breakthrough for in-situ resource utilization. Utilizing Martian atmospheric CO2 to produce oxygen, water, and fuel is the most critical first step in achieving a "closed loop of life support" and "autonomous energy cycle" in extraterrestrial environments.
[0003] However, both Mars and Earth orbit the Sun in elliptical orbits, with their closest distance being approximately 55 million kilometers and their farthest exceeding 400 million kilometers. Due to this vast distance, transporting supplies from Earth to Mars is extremely expensive. Utilizing in-situ Martian resources to prepare fuel and life support materials could reduce costs and improve mission autonomy and reliability. Martian atmosphere and water are ideal raw materials. The reduction and conversion of Martian atmospheric CO2 is a crucial step in transforming this abundant resource into fuel and chemical feedstock, enabling in-situ utilization of Martian atmospheric CO2 resources.
[0004] In existing technologies, the preparation of methane from carbon dioxide via hydrogenation on the ground typically employs conventional catalytic reaction routes. The reactors require operation under high temperatures (300–400°C) and high pressures (1–5 MPa), and the catalysts are prone to deactivation due to carbon buildup or impurity gases (such as trace amounts of dust, nitrogen, and argon in the Martian atmosphere). Furthermore, ground-based devices often operate in a continuous gas supply mode, making them poorly suited to the intermittent resource acquisition and processing conditions of the Martian environment. Additionally, the equipment is large and energy-intensive, failing to meet the requirements of deep space exploration missions for lightweight, low-power, and long-life operation.
[0005] Therefore, this invention proposes an apparatus and method for in-situ propellant preparation using Martian plasma-assisted methods. Summary of the Invention
[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide an apparatus and method for in-situ propellant preparation using Martian plasma-assisted methods, in order to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.
[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above-mentioned objective, the present invention provides the following technical solution: an apparatus for in-situ propellant preparation assisted by Martian resource plasma, comprising: The Martian regolith water extraction mechanism includes a Martian water resource drilling and extraction assembly, a condenser, and a water tank connected in sequence, for extracting water resources from water-bearing minerals in the Martian regolith. The Martian atmosphere enrichment mechanism includes at least a fire dust filter, a gas cryogenic separator, a gas booster pump, and a carbon dioxide cylinder connected in sequence, for processing and collecting carbon dioxide from the Martian atmosphere; The fuel preparation and collection mechanism includes a plasma reactor, a membrane separation unit and a methane cylinder connected in sequence, for converting extracted water vapor and collected carbon dioxide into methane and oxygen; The outlets of the water tank and the carbon dioxide cylinder are connected to the inlet of the plasma reactor via pipelines. The outlet of the plasma reactor is connected to the inlet of the membrane separation assembly. The methane outlet of the membrane separation assembly is connected to the methane cylinder.
[0008] Furthermore, the Mars water resource drilling and extraction assembly includes a drilling and extraction unit and a microwave heating unit. The microwave heating unit adopts a probe-type insertion structure, including a microwave generator, a waveguide transmission component, and a probe-type microwave radiating head. The drilling and extraction unit uses a spiral drill rod, and the probe-type microwave radiating head is built-in and fixed in the top area of the hollow spiral drill rod to radiate microwave energy to the drilled water-bearing weathered layer, and the microwave heating temperature range is 200℃~500℃.
[0009] Furthermore, the water vapor heated by the heating unit is introduced into the air inlet of the condenser through a pipe.
[0010] Furthermore, the specific model of the gas refrigeration separator is CryoTel GT, which is equipped with a cold head and a heater. The refrigeration temperature of the cold head is -160℃ to -120℃.
[0011] Furthermore, the fuel preparation and collection mechanism also includes a gas pump located at the inlet end of the plasma reactor for pumping carbon dioxide into the plasma reactor.
[0012] Furthermore, a flow meter is installed between the gas pump and the carbon dioxide cylinder to control the intake of carbon dioxide.
[0013] Furthermore, the membrane separation assembly specifically includes a housing and a first-stage gas separation membrane and a second-stage gas separation membrane connected in series inside the housing; the first-stage gas separation membrane has a gas reflux pipeline on its interception side and is connected to the gas inlet of the plasma reactor for separating unreacted carbon dioxide and refluxing it.
[0014] According to a second aspect of the present invention, the present invention provides a method for in-situ propellant preparation using Martian resource plasma-assisted methods, employing the apparatus for in-situ propellant preparation using Martian resource plasma-assisted methods described in the first aspect, comprising the following steps: Step S1, Water Resource Extraction Steps: The Mars water resource drilling and extraction component is activated to drill and extract water from the weathered layer on the Martian surface. When the water-bearing mineral layer is reached, the heating unit is activated to heat the water-bearing mineral at 400°C. The generated water vapor is condensed and liquefied by the condenser and then transferred to the water tank for storage to obtain liquid water raw material. Step S2, carbon dioxide enrichment step: The gas pump is started to pump the Martian atmosphere into the Martian dust filter for dust removal. The dust-removed gas enters the gas refrigeration separator, where the carbon dioxide is frozen to -150°C using a cold head to separate it from other components in the Martian atmosphere. When the carbon dioxide is frozen to the set amount, the heater is started to vaporize it. The vaporized high-purity carbon dioxide is pressurized by the gas booster pump and then pumped into a carbon dioxide cylinder for storage to obtain carbon dioxide raw material. Step S3, Plasma-assisted synthesis step: When the water level in the water tank reaches the preset level and the pressure in the carbon dioxide cylinder reaches the preset pressure, the flow meter and gas pump are started to pump the carbon dioxide in the carbon dioxide cylinder and the water vapor in the water tank to the plasma reactor at a predetermined molar ratio. Inside the plasma reactor, non-equilibrium plasma is excited under normal temperature and pressure conditions, causing carbon dioxide and water vapor to undergo a reforming reaction to generate a mixed gas containing methane, oxygen, carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The mixed gas enters the membrane separation unit for selective permeation separation to obtain purified methane gas, which is stored in a methane cylinder, while the separated oxygen is collected.
[0015] Furthermore, the predetermined molar ratio of carbon dioxide to water vapor is CO2:H2O=1:2.
[0016] Furthermore, the membrane separation assembly is connected to the plasma reactor via a circulation pipeline, which is used to return unreacted carbon dioxide and / or carbon monoxide to the plasma reactor for further reaction.
[0017] The present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: 1. This invention integrates multiple processes, including Martian regolith water extraction, Martian atmospheric carbon dioxide enrichment, plasma-assisted reforming reaction, and product membrane separation and collection, forming a complete technological chain from in-situ resources to propellants and life support supplies. This solution enables the continuous production of methane and oxygen directly from local Martian resources without relying on Earth resupply, providing a systematic solution for achieving energy self-sufficiency and a closed-loop life support system in extraterrestrial environments.
[0018] 2. This invention extracts water vapor by heating water-bearing minerals in the Martian regolith and captures carbon dioxide under specific low-temperature conditions using a cryogenic separation method, effectively adapting to the extreme environment of low temperature and low pressure on the Martian surface. This method can efficiently remove dust and impurities such as nitrogen and argon from the Martian atmosphere, obtaining high-purity carbon dioxide feedstock, providing a stable and clean raw material guarantee for subsequent fuel synthesis, while reducing the adverse effects of impurities on the reaction process and product quality.
[0019] 3. This invention employs a plasma-assisted reaction route, which can initiate the reforming reaction of carbon dioxide and water vapor at room temperature and pressure, eliminating the need for high-temperature and high-pressure conditions. This avoids problems such as easy catalyst deactivation, high reactor pressure requirements, and high heating power consumption in traditional catalytic reactions. This technical solution significantly reduces the size and weight of the equipment, which is beneficial for achieving lightweight, low-power, and long-life operation in deep space exploration missions.
[0020] 4. This invention dynamically adjusts the feed ratio and reaction parameters by real-time monitoring of the water tank level, carbon dioxide cylinder pressure, and product composition, ensuring stable system operation under different conditions. Simultaneously, unreacted carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide can be returned to the plasma reactor via a circulation pipeline to participate in the reaction again, thereby further improving raw material utilization and overall resource conversion efficiency.
[0021] Of course, any product implementing this invention does not necessarily need to achieve all of the advantages described above at the same time. Attached Figure Description
[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the system described in this invention.
[0024] Figure label: 1. Martian regolith water extraction mechanism; 2. Martian atmosphere enrichment mechanism; 3. Fuel preparation and collection mechanism; 4. Martian water resource drilling and extraction assembly; 5. Condenser; 6. Water tank; 7. Fire dust filter; 8. Gas refrigeration separator; 9. Booster pump; 10. Carbon dioxide cylinder; 11. Flow meter; 12. Gas pump; 13. Plasma reactor; 14. Membrane separation assembly; 15. Methane cylinder. Detailed Implementation
[0025] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.
[0026] Example 1: Please see Figure 1 This invention provides a technical solution: an apparatus for in-situ propellant preparation using Martian plasma-assisted methods, comprising: The Martian regolith water extraction mechanism 1 includes a Martian water resource drilling and extraction component 4, a condenser 5, and a water tank 6 connected in sequence, and is used to extract water resources from water-bearing minerals in the Martian regolith. The Mars atmosphere enrichment mechanism 2 includes at least a fire dust filter 7, a gas cryogenic separator 8, a gas booster pump 9, and a carbon dioxide cylinder 10 connected in sequence, for processing and collecting carbon dioxide from the Martian atmosphere; The fuel preparation and collection mechanism 3 includes a plasma reactor 13, a membrane separation component 14 and a methane cylinder 15 connected in sequence, for converting extracted water vapor and collected carbon dioxide into methane and oxygen; The outlets of water tank 6 and carbon dioxide cylinder 10 are connected to the inlet of plasma reactor 13 via pipelines. The outlet of plasma reactor 13 is connected to the inlet of membrane separation component 14. The methane outlet of membrane separation component 14 is connected to methane cylinder 15.
[0027] Regarding the technical solution of this embodiment, the Mars water resource drilling and extraction component 4 includes a drilling and extraction unit and a heating unit. The microwave heating unit adopts a probe-type insertion structure, including a microwave generator, a waveguide transmission component and a probe-type microwave radiating head. The drilling and extraction unit is set as a spiral drill rod, which is driven by a drive motor. The probe-type microwave radiator is built into and fixed in the top area of the hollow auger drill rod. It is used to radiate microwave energy into the drilled water-bearing weathered layer, realizing in-situ volumetric heating of the weathered layer. The microwave heating temperature range is 200℃~500℃. It is used to promote the sublimation and desorption of water ice and adsorbed water in the weathered layer, and improve the heat utilization efficiency in the low thermal conductivity Martian weathered layer. During operation, after the auger drill rod reaches the drilling position, the drive motor stops running, the microwave heating unit starts, and the probe-type microwave radiator performs directional microwave heating on the water-bearing weathered layer inside the drill rod. The precipitated water vapor is transported upward along the gaps in the auger drill rod blades and the hollow channel, and is introduced into the subsequent condenser through the dynamic sealing gas collection hood set on the outer side of the top of the drill rod, realizing the in-situ extraction and collection of water resources.
[0028] After the drilling unit completes the penetration of the weathered layer and reaches the water-bearing mineral layer, it stops mechanical movement. At this time, the heating unit starts and performs point heating on the target mineral layer. This phased operation mode avoids the accumulation of equipment heat load caused by continuous friction heat generation during the rotary drilling process, and also prevents the ineffective dissipation of heat energy to non-target rock layers.
[0029] Because the heating unit acts directly on the water-bearing minerals exposed by the drilling unit, the heat transfer path is short and the thermal resistance is low. Water molecules transform into water vapor upon heating and migrate upwards through the collection chamber inside the drill bit, relying on their own vapor pressure. No additional suction power or soil transfer equipment is needed, achieving synergy between in-situ extraction and closed-loop collection. Furthermore, the independent control of the two units allows for flexible matching of drilling depth and heating temperature based on the burial depth and thermophysical parameters of the water-bearing minerals, avoiding energy waste or thermal damage to the drill bit caused by simultaneous drilling and heating.
[0030] It should be further noted that the Mars water resource drilling and extraction component 4 can also have the following alternatives: A vacuum heat pipe is embedded inside the drill pipe. The evaporation section of the heat pipe is placed near the drill bit, and the condensation section is connected to an external resistance heating source. After drilling to the desired depth, the external resistance wire heats the condensation section of the heat pipe. The working fluid undergoes a phase change cycle to efficiently transfer heat to the water-bearing minerals at the drill bit. The high equivalent thermal conductivity of the heat pipe is used to achieve point-to-point heat transport, avoiding thermal inertia loss throughout the drill pipe.
[0031] Regarding the technical solution of this embodiment, the water vapor heated by the heating unit is introduced into the air inlet of the condenser 5 through a pipe. The water vapor directly enters the air inlet of the condenser 5 through the pipe, which can quickly contact the low temperature area of the condenser 5. This is beneficial for the water vapor to cool down quickly and condense into liquid water, thereby improving the water resource recovery rate. The pipe provides a closed transmission channel, which can prevent the water vapor from escaping or having unnecessary heat exchange with the external environment during the transfer process, thereby reducing resource loss.
[0032] Regarding the technical solution of this embodiment, the gas refrigeration separator (8) specifically adopts Sunpower's CryoTel GT, which is equipped with a cold head and a heater. The refrigeration temperature of the cold head is -160℃ to -120℃. By using cryogenic freezing separation, inert or non-reactive gases such as nitrogen and argon in the Martian atmosphere can be effectively removed, preventing these impurities from entering the plasma reactor 13 and interfering with the formation reaction of methane and oxygen. This improves the purity and reaction stability of the target product. At a low temperature of -150°C, carbon dioxide can be fully frozen and liquefied, while components such as nitrogen and argon in the Martian atmosphere remain in a gaseous state at this temperature. Thus, carbon dioxide can be effectively separated from these impurity gases by freezing, obtaining high-purity carbon dioxide raw material.
[0033] Regarding the technical solution of this embodiment, the fuel preparation and collection mechanism 3 also includes a gas pump 12 disposed at the gas inlet end of the plasma reactor 13 for pumping carbon dioxide into the plasma reactor 13. A flow meter 11 is disposed between the gas pump 12 and the carbon dioxide cylinder 10 for controlling the amount of carbon dioxide entering the reactor. Specifically, the gas pump 12 can overcome pipeline resistance and system back pressure, and stably and continuously push carbon dioxide from the storage gas cylinder to the plasma reactor 13, avoiding gas supply disruptions caused by gas cylinder pressure fluctuations or pipeline pressure drops. When used in conjunction with the flow meter 11, the gas pump 12 can quantitatively deliver carbon dioxide into the reactor according to a predetermined flow rate, thereby achieving a precise ratio with water vapor and providing stable raw material supply conditions for the plasma reforming reaction.
[0034] Regarding the technical solution of this embodiment, the membrane separation assembly 14 is a multi-stage membrane separation structure, specifically including a shell and a first-stage gas separation membrane and a second-stage gas separation membrane connected in series. The first-stage gas separation membrane has a gas reflux pipeline on its retention side, which is connected to the gas inlet of the plasma reactor 13 for separating unreacted carbon dioxide and refluxing it. The second-stage gas separation membrane is used for fine separation of methane and oxygen. The membrane material can be Ube Industries (UBE) polyimide gas separation membrane assembly (such as the UBE UMS series separation membrane), which has good selective permeability to carbon dioxide, methane, and oxygen, and has excellent pressure resistance and high temperature resistance.
[0035] Example 2: This embodiment provides a method for in-situ propellant preparation using Martian resource plasma-assisted methods, employing the apparatus described in Embodiment 1 for in-situ propellant preparation using Martian resource plasma-assisted methods, and includes the following steps: S1, Extraction of water resources from Martian regolith The drilling unit of the Mars water resource drilling and extraction device is started. Drilling is stopped after reaching the depth of water-bearing minerals in the volcanic soil. The heating unit is then started to heat the water-bearing minerals at 400°C. The water vapor released by the heated water-bearing minerals evaporates into the collection chamber and is transferred along the channel to the condenser 5 for condensation and liquefaction. The liquefied water is then transferred to the water tank 6 for storage and future use.
[0036] S2, enrichment of carbon dioxide in the Martian atmosphere The gas pump 12 is started, so that the Martian atmosphere is first treated by the Martian dust filter 7 to remove suspended Martian dust particles. The dust-removed atmosphere enters the gas cryogenic separator 8, where the carbon dioxide is frozen to -150°C using a cold head to achieve low-temperature separation of carbon dioxide from other components in the Martian atmosphere (such as nitrogen, argon, etc.). When the carbon dioxide is frozen to the set amount, the heating unit is started to vaporize it. The vaporized high-purity carbon dioxide gas is pressurized by the gas booster pump 9 and then pumped into the carbon dioxide cylinder 10 for storage and later use.
[0037] S3. Plasma-assisted preparation of methane and oxygen When the water level in tank 6 reaches the preset level and the pressure in carbon dioxide cylinder 10 reaches the preset value, flow meter 11 and gas pump 12 are activated to pump carbon dioxide gas and water vapor to the inlet of plasma reactor 13 in a predetermined ratio (e.g., CO2:H2O molar ratio = 1:2). The plasma power supply is then activated to excite non-equilibrium plasma at room temperature and pressure, causing carbon dioxide and water to undergo a reforming reaction, generating a mixed gas containing methane, oxygen, carbon monoxide, and a small amount of hydrogen.
[0038] The mixed gas after the reaction enters the membrane separation unit 14, and through selective permeation separation, methane with a purity of not less than 99% is obtained and stored in the methane cylinder 15; the separated oxygen (with a purity of more than 98%) is collected in the oxygen storage tank for life support or propellant oxidizer.
[0039] S4, System Loop and Resource Reuse During the operation of plasma reactor 13, the feed ratio and reaction parameters are dynamically adjusted by real-time monitoring of the water level in water tank 6, the pressure in carbon dioxide cylinder 10, and the composition of the product gas, ensuring stable system operation. Unreacted carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide can be returned to plasma reactor 13 via circulation pipeline to participate in the reaction again, further improving resource conversion efficiency.
[0040] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "an embodiment," "example," "specific example," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.
[0041] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of this application. Those skilled in the art should understand that this application is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of this application. Various changes and modifications can be made to this application without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the claims of this application.
Claims
1. A device for in-situ propellant preparation using Martian plasma-assisted methods, characterized in that, include: The Martian regolith water extraction mechanism (1) includes a Martian water resource drilling and extraction assembly (4), a condenser (5), and a water tank (6) connected in sequence, for extracting water resources from water-bearing minerals in the Martian regolith; The Mars atmosphere enrichment mechanism (2) includes at least a fire dust filter (7), a gas cryogenic separator (8), a gas booster pump (9), and a carbon dioxide cylinder (10) connected in sequence, for processing and collecting carbon dioxide from the Martian atmosphere; The fuel preparation and collection mechanism (3) includes a plasma reactor (13), a membrane separation assembly (14), and a methane cylinder (15) connected in sequence, for converting extracted water vapor and collected carbon dioxide into methane and oxygen; The outlets of the water tank (6) and the carbon dioxide cylinder (10) are respectively connected to the inlet of the plasma reactor (13) through pipelines. The outlet of the plasma reactor (13) is connected to the inlet of the membrane separation component (14). The methane outlet of the membrane separation component (14) is connected to the methane cylinder (15).
2. The apparatus for in-situ propellant preparation using Martian plasma-assisted methods according to claim 1, characterized in that: The Mars water resource drilling and extraction assembly (4) includes a drilling and extraction unit and a microwave heating unit. The microwave heating unit adopts a probe-type insertion structure, including a microwave generator, a waveguide transmission assembly and a probe-type microwave radiating head. The drilling and extraction unit adopts a spiral drill rod. The probe-type microwave radiating head is built into and fixed in the top area of the hollow spiral drill rod, and is used to radiate microwave energy to the drilled water-bearing weathered layer. The microwave heating temperature range is 200℃~500℃.
3. The apparatus for in-situ propellant preparation using Martian plasma-assisted methods according to claim 2, characterized in that: The water vapor heated by the microwave heating unit is introduced into the air inlet of the condenser (5) through a pipe.
4. The apparatus for in-situ propellant preparation using Martian plasma-assisted methods according to claim 1, characterized in that: The specific model of the gas refrigeration separator (8) is CryoTel GT, which is equipped with a cold head and a heater. The refrigeration temperature of the cold head is -160℃ to -120℃.
5. The apparatus for in-situ propellant preparation using Martian plasma-assisted methods according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fuel preparation and collection mechanism (3) also includes a gas pump (12) located at the inlet of the plasma reactor for pumping carbon dioxide into the plasma reactor (13).
6. The apparatus for in-situ propellant preparation using Martian plasma-assisted methods according to claim 5, characterized in that: A flow meter (11) is installed between the gas pump (12) and the carbon dioxide cylinder (10) to control the intake of carbon dioxide.
7. The apparatus for in-situ propellant preparation using Martian plasma-assisted methods according to claim 1, characterized in that: The membrane separation assembly (14) specifically includes a shell and a first-stage gas separation membrane and a second-stage gas separation membrane connected in series. The first-stage gas separation membrane has a gas reflux pipeline on its interception side and is connected to the gas inlet of the plasma reactor (13) for separating unreacted carbon dioxide and refluxing it.
8. A method for in-situ propellant preparation using Martian plasma-assisted methods, employing the apparatus for in-situ propellant preparation using Martian plasma-assisted methods as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step S1, Water Resource Extraction Steps: The Mars water resource drilling and extraction component (4) is started to drill and extract water from the weathered layer on the surface of Mars. When the water-bearing mineral layer is drilled, the heating unit is started to heat the water-bearing mineral at 400°C. The generated water vapor is condensed and liquefied by the condenser (5) and then transferred to the water tank (6) for storage to obtain liquid water raw material. Step S2, carbon dioxide enrichment step: The gas pump (12) is started to pump the Martian atmosphere into the Martian dust filter (7) for dust removal. The gas after dust removal enters the gas freeze separator (8), and the carbon dioxide is frozen to -150°C using the cold head to separate it from other components in the Martian atmosphere. When the carbon dioxide is frozen to the set amount, the heater is started to vaporize it. The high-purity carbon dioxide after vaporization is pressurized by the gas booster pump (9) and pumped into the carbon dioxide cylinder (10) for storage to obtain carbon dioxide raw material. Step S3, Plasma-assisted synthesis step: When the water level in the water tank (6) reaches the preset liquid level and the pressure in the carbon dioxide cylinder (10) reaches the preset pressure, the flow meter (11) and the gas pump (12) are started to pump the carbon dioxide in the carbon dioxide cylinder (10) and the water vapor in the water tank (6) to the plasma reactor (13) at a predetermined molar ratio. In the plasma reactor (13), non-equilibrium plasma is excited under normal temperature and pressure conditions, causing carbon dioxide and water vapor to undergo a reforming reaction to generate a mixed gas containing methane, oxygen, carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The mixed gas enters the membrane separation unit (14) for selective permeation separation to obtain purified methane gas, which is stored in a methane cylinder (15), while the separated oxygen is collected.
9. A method for in-situ propellant preparation using Martian plasma-assisted methods according to claim 8, characterized in that, The predetermined molar ratio of carbon dioxide to water vapor is CO2:H2O=1:
2.
10. A method for in-situ propellant preparation using Martian plasma-assisted methods according to claim 8, characterized in that, The membrane separation assembly (14) is connected to the plasma reactor (13) via a circulation pipe, which is used to return unreacted carbon dioxide and / or carbon monoxide to the plasma reactor (13) for further reaction.