Science News

Article Originally Written by Daphne Panie ’27

As humanity prepares for missions to Mars, producing and storing oxygen efficiently in space has become a critical challenge that scientists face. 

The Electrolysis Issue

As gravity is reduced in space, it becomes very difficult to conduct the process of electrolysis, splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen. As buoyancy is absent, oxygen bubbles do not separate from the liquid but rather accumulate near the electrodes, sometimes forming a buffer layer impeding electrode efficiency and preventing oxygen production. To separate the bubbles from the liquid, a centrifuge is needed, making this process energy-intensive. 

Aerospace engineer Alvaro Romero-Calvo explained that current oxygen systems for Mars missions are too heavy and unreliable, noting the need for “all those spare components [that] add a lot of mass to the system.” This stresses the importance of finding alternative options to allow for space travel and Mars colonization. 

Mid-August Romero-Calvo and his colleagues, a research team representing many countries including the US, the UK and Germany, argued that using magnets to manipulate electrochemistry would simplify electrolysis in space – their main goal being to “separate gas bubbles – oxygen and hydrogen – from the water or the electrolyte, without moving parts or centrifuges or pumps or anything like that”. 

A Magnetic Solution

Water is a diamagnetic substance, meaning it is weakly repelled by magnets. In microgravity, this property helps push water away from oxygen bubbles, letting the bubbles rise without pumps or centrifuges. In addition, interactions between the external magnet’s field and the ions moving under the electrical field further moves water away from the bubbles, regrouping them at the center of the container. 

Experimental Evidence

To test their experiment, scientists went to Bremen drop tower, a 122 meters tall tower located in Bremen, Germany. Pictures showed the reaction density increasing up to 240% with the help of magnets, as magnetic fields pushed bubbles away from the electrodes. 

The team is now looking to test the long term efficiency of their protocol, especially in zero-gravity situations. In addition, further work is needed to ensure that the method meets certain safety standards, including measuring the purity of the produced gases. 

This discovery is a huge breakthrough in the race towards space conquest. As Mark Symes, an electrochemist, said: “Electrolysis in space is a huge issue, particularly if you’re going to go and live or have a semi-permanent base on the moon or Mars, you’re not going to want to ferry oxygen backwards and forwards from Earth endlessly”. 

Implications for Space Travel

This breakthrough could allow sustainable oxygen production on Mars, an immense scientific breakthrough. With no moving parts and commercially available magnets, the method offers a novel scalable and low-maintenance solution for long-term space missions.

Sources:

1. Wilke, C. (2025). Magnets could boost oxygen production in microgravity. Chemical & Engineering News. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-025-01890-0)
2. Ömer Akay, Macià Monfort-Castillo, Francis, T. S., Becker, J., Shaumica Saravanabavan, Álvaro Romero-Calvo, & Brinkert, K. (2025). Magnetically induced convection enhances water electrolysis in microgravity. Nature Chemistry. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-025-01890-0
3. Astronauts need oxygen. Magnets could help. (2025, August 18). Science News. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/astronaut-oxygen-magnet