Tiny magnets could simplify oxygen production for spaceflight

Source: interestingengineering
Author: @IntEngineering
Published: 8/19/2025
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Read original articleResearchers from the University of Warwick, ZARM at Bremen, and Georgia Tech have developed a novel, low-power magnetic system that simplifies oxygen production for space missions by passively separating oxygen bubbles from water during electrolysis. Traditional oxygen generation systems on the International Space Station rely on bulky, energy-intensive machinery to separate oxygen and hydrogen, which is inefficient and impractical for long-duration spaceflight. The new approach uses small, off-the-shelf magnets to exploit magnetic forces that guide oxygen bubbles away from electrodes in microgravity, eliminating the need for centrifuges or mechanical parts and requiring no additional power.
Early experiments conducted in Bremen’s Drop Tower and laboratory setups demonstrated a 240 percent increase in oxygen collection efficiency, achieving performance close to terrestrial systems. This breakthrough promises lighter, more robust life-support systems critical for sustainable human exploration beyond Earth. The research, spanning four years and funded by the German Aerospace Center, the European Space Agency, and NASA, is moving toward validation in suborbital rocket flights to test
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energyoxygen-productionspaceflight-technologymagnetic-separationelectrolysislife-support-systemssustainable-energy