Using Martian Resources to Power the Trip Home

September 18, 2026 - 12:04

MIT PhD candidate Lanie McKinney is working on technologies that could allow humans to explore Mars and make it back safely. Her research centers on using materials already present on the planet to supply both life support and propellant for the return trip.

Sending everything needed for a Mars mission from Earth is impractical. The cost and weight of carrying fuel, oxygen, and water for a round trip would be enormous. McKinney's approach instead looks at what Mars itself can provide. The planet's atmosphere contains carbon dioxide, and its surface holds water ice. These resources can potentially be converted into oxygen for breathing, water for drinking, and methane or other propellants to power a spacecraft home.

This strategy, often called in situ resource utilization, could transform how missions are planned. Instead of bringing all supplies from Earth, astronauts would rely on systems that harvest and process local materials. That reduces launch mass and opens the door to longer stays on the surface.

McKinney's work sits at the intersection of engineering, chemistry, and space systems design. She is focused on making these processes reliable enough for human crews who cannot afford failures far from home. If successful, her research could help turn a one way trip into a sustainable round trip, bringing explorers back after they have done their work on Mars.