Synopsis
Here is a summary of the key points from the paper:
Overview
- Mining lunar ice and processing it into rocket propellant could enable profitable commercial space activities and support expanded space exploration.
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Thermal Mining Technique
- Involves using reflected sunlight to heat and sublime surface lunar ice inside permanently shadowed craters near the moon’s poles.
- The water vapor is captured and hauled to a processing plant which purifies and electrolyzes it into liquid hydrogen and oxygen propellant.
- Estimated to have much lower mass and complexity than traditional excavation techniques.
Market and Pricing
- Near term market is commercial satellites to geosynchronous orbit, NASA science missions, and eventual lunar missions. Mars missions also represent significant potential demand.
- Pricing model shows large cost savings over launching propellant from Earth. For example, propellant priced at $500/kg on lunar surface reduces Earth to lunar surface launches by a factor of 3.
Business Case Scenarios
- Examines commercial-only case and public-private partnership models with NASA.
- Positive rate of returns in all scenarios, enhanced by NASA’s involvement.
- Availability of propellant expected to enable other commercial space activities by greatly reducing transportation costs.
Comparison to Other Studies
- Significantly lower estimated propellant pricing than previous NASA and academic studies.
- Main factors are: efficiency of thermal mining technique, use of emerging commercial launch systems, and public-private partnership approach.
Conclusions
- Lunar propellant production could be the first profitable in-space commercial activity and dramatically reduce costs for space transportation and exploration.