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Completed TRL 3 (started at 2, targeting 3)
NASA's CO2 Conversion Challenge is a $1 million competition to convert carbon dioxide into mission-critical resources. Such technologies will allow us to manufacture products using local, indigenous resources on Mars, and can also be implemented on Earth by using both waste and atmospheric carbon dioxide as a resource.
Future planetary habitats on Mars will require a high degree of self-sufficiency. This requires a concerted effort to both effectively recycle supplies brought from Earth and use local resources such as CO₂, water and regolith to manufacture mission-relevant products. CO₂ is a readily available source of carbon that can be easily obtained from the Martian atmosphere and as a by-product of human metabolism. This carbon (and oxygen) is an essential ingredient in making organic mission products such as food, nutrients, medicines, plastics, fuels, and adhesives. While carbon-containing molecules may be present in mission waste products or in planetary soils, these materials are difficult to use as feedstock for effective manufacturing processes.
Listed on TechPort itself — the most direct way to ask about this specific project.
This is early/mid-stage (TRL 3) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.
None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.