Plasma‐Assisted Nitrogen Fixation for Mars: A Simulation Study on in Situ Resource Utilization

ABSTRACT This study explores nitrogen fixation in the Martian atmosphere using plasma technology. By combining microwave and dielectric barrier discharges (DBD), nitrogen was converted into water‐soluble nitrogen fertilizer (N₂O₅) for agriculture. Despite the low pressure and temperature of Mars, optimized discharge conditions and reactor design significantly boosted the generation efficiency of N₂O₅ precursors, NO₂, and O₃ production. The microwave discharge achieved NOx concentrations of 63.6 ppm, close to experimental values; adjusting DBD pressure to 760 Torr enhanced O₃ concentration by 10 5 times, yielding 3.8 mol/m³ N₂O₅. The findings lay a technological foundation for future Martian ecosystem development and highlight the need for further experimental validation and system optimization.