There is a large amount of precious minerals on the Moon and Mars. Would it be feasible to bring these valuable materials back on Earth? Space.com says that mining specialists and space engineers, who gathered at the latest Space Resources Roundtable, think the answer is yes.
But there are many issues to solve. The first one is to build a permanent base. Here is a rendering of a possible commercial Lunar base (Credit: NASA/Pat Rawlings).
Then, you have to live on space resources.
If humans are ever to truly spread their wings in space, they must be nourished and sustained by space resources. That means no less than "living off the land", severing the supply umbilical of Mother Earth. It's also tagged as in-situ resource utilization -- or ISRU in space lingo short speak. Off-world resources can be transformed into oxygen, propellant, water, as well as used for construction purposes and to energize power stations.
"ISRU really is the stepping stone, a key part of the development of space," said Gerald Sanders, Chief, Propulsion and Fluid Systems Branch at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. "We can do things at low Earth orbit bringing materials up from Earth. But once you start getting any distance away from low Earth orbit, the leveraging just isn't there," he told SPACE.com .
The article looks at other issues, such as strategic and economic potentials, before examining legal concerns.
The greatest need -- to prepare not only for Moon mining, but also digging out resources from Mars -- is not for technological breakthroughs. Rather, it is for information and clarification.
That's the belief of Leslie Gertsch, Assistant Professor of Geological Engineering at the Rock Mechanics & Explosives Research Center at the University of Missouri-Rolla.
It is obvious that fundamental differences exist between the working conditions on Earth contrasted to the Moon and Mars, Gertsch said.
First of all, Gertsch said, the legal landscape for extraterrestrial resource ownership and extraction must be clarified. Additionally, there needs to be detailed feedstock specifications for products that could be made using off-Earth materials. Obtaining more, and higher resolution data on prospective deposits needed for space mining -- using both orbiters and landers -- is critical too. Lastly, achieving and maintaining the link to the Moon and Mars is key, she said.
So, we'll need lawyers for space mining. As the article says, it "turns out you can't leave Earth without them."
Source: Leonard David, Space.com, November 14, 2003
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