Elon Musk Says SpaceX Will Have to Use Carbon Dioxide as Rocket Fuel

Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, is pressing forward to use greenhouse gas emissions to combat climate change. He tweeted that his rocket business will begin a program to capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and utilize it to power spacecraft.

According to Bloomberg, Musk unveiled the initiative on Dec. 13, only days after being selected Time Magazine's Person of the Year.

SpaceX Carbon Dioxide Rocket Fuel Program: CO2 Rocket Fuel for Mars Missions

Elon Musk has announced on Twitter that SpaceX will commence a Carbon Dioxide Rocket Fuel program, one of the most significant statements SpaceX could make. The SpaceX CEO's tweet asks people to join the initiative and help make it a reality for the future usage of new sustainable fuel derived from harmful gas molecules.

Musk stated in a quick thread that this software is designed for future Mars missions, implying that it would be utilized for Starships on their trip to the Red Planet. Musk and SpaceX haven't said if the CO2 Rocket Fuel will be used in Starships and other SpaceX rockets, but it is.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a recognized end product of people and other devices in the environment, and its buildup may build up heat and influence the world climate. There have been attempts to remove it from Earth, but the activities required to alter or remove it entirely are far too demanding at this time. As a result, several of Musk's Twitter followers were skeptical of his plan, casting doubt on its practicality.

How Carbon Dioxide Removal Helps Eradicate Climate Change

Musk, per Business Insider, earlier launched the $100 million XPrize Carbon Removal, a competition for carbon removal technologies. The principal greenhouse gas contributing to the climate catastrophe is carbon dioxide, emitted when fossil fuels are burned.

According to Balkan Green Energy News, removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere helps to mitigate climate change by lowering global warming. However, current direct air capture (DAC) programs are insignificant. Furthermore, CO2 from Mars' atmosphere and frozen CO2 thought to exist on the Moon might theoretically be utilized to create rocket fuel, allowing people to return to Earth.

Microbes are being studied for their ability to convert carbon dioxide into sugars and ultimately fuel, as well as other materials. Making a combination of liquid oxygen and methane, which would also require water, is one option.

SpaceX's Success

Live Mint said SpaceX is building rockets for deep-space travel to transport humans to Mars. The company has become a go-to provider of launch services for customers such as NASA. Last year, Musk told an interviewer that he believed a crewed mission to Mars may take place in 2026.

Musk, who is the richest man on the planet because of the success of his electric vehicle company, Tesla Inc., said in January that he would contribute $100 million to a prize for the finest carbon-capture device.

The new rocket fuel attempt would rely on a technique called direct air capture (DAC), which is still in its early phases of development. The world's largest DAC plant, located in Iceland, commenced operations in September and would remove 4,000 tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere yearly, more than double the previous DAC capacity.

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