Difference between revisions of "In Situ Resource Utilization"
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| − | '''In Situ Resource Utilization''' (''ISRU'') refers to the production of useful materials from the resources available at a given location. The phrase is from the Latin ''in situ'', meaning "at the site", or "in place." ISRU can be categorized into production of materials useful at the current location, primarily: life support, [[In-Situ Propellant Production | propellant]], radiation shielding, [[List of Construction Materials | construction]] and structural materials, and raw materials for other production useful for habitat expansion. | + | '''In Situ Resource Utilization''' (''ISRU'') refers to the production of useful materials from the resources available at a given location. The phrase is from the Latin ''in situ'', meaning "at the site", or "in place." ISRU can be categorized into production of materials useful at the current location, primarily: life support, [[In-Situ Propellant Production | propellant]], radiation shielding, [[List of Construction Materials | construction]] and structural materials, and raw materials for other production useful for habitat expansion. |
It may be possible to commercialize these processes to produce commodity materials for use elsewhere in space, including propellent for further colonization and exploration as well as materials for habitats and spacecraft. Some of the commodities may also be sold back to earth. High value materials include rare isotopes deposited by the solar wind and [[Platinum Group Metals | platinum group metals]]. Bulk commodities consist of nickel and iron mined from asteroids, oxygen, aluminum and titanium from the moon, and other materials for manufacture of structures in space such as [[solar power satellites]]. | It may be possible to commercialize these processes to produce commodity materials for use elsewhere in space, including propellent for further colonization and exploration as well as materials for habitats and spacecraft. Some of the commodities may also be sold back to earth. High value materials include rare isotopes deposited by the solar wind and [[Platinum Group Metals | platinum group metals]]. Bulk commodities consist of nickel and iron mined from asteroids, oxygen, aluminum and titanium from the moon, and other materials for manufacture of structures in space such as [[solar power satellites]]. | ||
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*[[Steam Injected Concrete]] | *[[Steam Injected Concrete]] | ||
| − | + | ===Rocket Fuel=== | |
| + | see [[In-Situ Propellant Production]] | ||
===Lunar Oxygen ([[LUNOX]])=== | ===Lunar Oxygen ([[LUNOX]])=== | ||
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*[[List of Construction Materials]] | *[[List of Construction Materials]] | ||
| − | + | ==External Links== | |
| + | *[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In-Situ_Resource_Utilization In Situ Resource Utilization at Wikipedia] | ||
| + | *[http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/moon_mining_041110.html Mining the moon article at Space.com] | ||
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| + | [[Category:ISRU]] | ||
Revision as of 22:43, 10 December 2011
In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) refers to the production of useful materials from the resources available at a given location. The phrase is from the Latin in situ, meaning "at the site", or "in place." ISRU can be categorized into production of materials useful at the current location, primarily: life support, propellant, radiation shielding, construction and structural materials, and raw materials for other production useful for habitat expansion.
It may be possible to commercialize these processes to produce commodity materials for use elsewhere in space, including propellent for further colonization and exploration as well as materials for habitats and spacecraft. Some of the commodities may also be sold back to earth. High value materials include rare isotopes deposited by the solar wind and platinum group metals. Bulk commodities consist of nickel and iron mined from asteroids, oxygen, aluminum and titanium from the moon, and other materials for manufacture of structures in space such as solar power satellites.
Contents
ISRU possible on the moon
Construction Materials
Rocket Fuel
see In-Situ Propellant Production
Lunar Oxygen (LUNOX)
(see also listing on LUNOX page)
- Ilmenite Reduction
- Glass Reduction
- Fluorine reaction
- Magma electrolysis
- Aluminum reduction
- Carbothermal reduction
- Methane reduction
Metals
Lunar Gasses (other than oxygen)
- Hydrogen from electrolysis of Lunar Polar water and regolith deposits
- Helium including Helium 3.
- Argon
- Nitrogen
- Neon
- Radon
- Carbon Dioxide
- Carbon Monoxide
- Methane
- Hydrogen Sulfide
Related Articles
- LUNOX
- Ore Bodies
- Value of commodities
- Lunar outgassing
- List of Resources
- List of Construction Materials
