Ice, ice, maybe? A new study from Scottish researchers has investigated how future missions to Mars could unlock the red planet’s most vital, yet inaccessible resource – water.

In a new paper published in the Advances in Space Research journal, scientists from the University of Strathclyde examine the technologies that could allow humans to harvest water on Mars, like drawing water from underground ice, soil moisture and atmospheric vapour.

Studies have shown that there is a large volume of water on Mars, but most of it remains beyond the practical reach of early explorers. 

According to the research, the most easily accessible H2O on Mars is found at the permanent ice caps of the planet’s polar regions, while latter techniques like atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) have been mostly ignored due to what was thought to be prohibitive energy demands.

This new analysis, however, brings together recent discoveries and focuses on evaluating how water might be collected more efficiently from such sources to support human habitation across the desert world.

“Reliable access to water would be essential for human survival on Mars, not only for drinking but also for producing oxygen and fuel, which would reduce dependence on Earth-based supplies,” said Dr Vassilis Inglezakis, author of the study from Strathclyde’s Department of Chemical & Process Engineering.

“This study is one of the first to compare the various technologies that could be deployed to recover water in a Martian environment. It also puts forward new ideas for atmospheric water harvesting, offering potentially valuable alternatives where other sources are inaccessible.”

The paper dissects each method, considering energy demands, scalability, and suitability for different Martian conditions. 

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The findings suggest that while subsurface ice may be the most viable long-term water source, moisture in soil and atmospheric vapour could provide supplementary supplies of water for future missions, particularly in emergencies or remote locations.

“While the search for water continues and much of Mars remains unexplored, a clear understanding of available technologies and their realistic applications will be key to supporting sustained missions and eventual settlement,” said Inglezakis.

“The research offers insights for future space exploration missions, supporting efforts to make them more self-sufficient and sustainable.”