National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Small Business Innovation Research 2001 Program Solicitation

TOPIC H2 Space Resources Development

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H2.01 In Situ Resources Utilization of Planetary Materials for Human Space Missions

The goals of this topic are to drive down the cost of human/robotic exploration missions and campaigns. This includes supporting improved health and safety for human explorers beyond Earth orbit. It also includes working with the space science community to test concepts and technologies. The objectives of this topic include: (1) Developing and validating the technology to utilize local resources, such as Regolith/Minerals, Ices and Atmosphere -- in order to (2) Produce, process and deliver consumables, including propellants (storable and cryogenic), life support and other gases and water. (3) Fabricate key physical structural systems and their elements from local materials. This includes radiation shielding, structural elements (e.g., trusses, panels, etc.), and mechanical spares for mission system elements. (4) Enable local fabrication of selected "finished products" and/or "end-items" including photo-voltaic cells and solar arrays, wires, tubes, connectors, etc., and pressurized volumes. (5) Testing key technologies and demonstrating innovative new systems concepts in space. (6) Establishing a foundation for profitable commercial development of the resulting technologies in the mid- to far-term

H2.01 In Situ Resources Utilization of Planetary Materials for Human Space Missions
Lead Center: JSC
Participating Center(s): ARC, KSC

Significant benefits for future human missions to the Moon, Mars, and other planetary bodies may be attained by making maximum use of local, indigenous materials as a source for products such as propellants, life support consumables, radiation protection, and construction materials. By pursuing the philosophy of "make what you need at the planet instead of bringing it all the way from Earth", In situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) can result in reduction of mass requirements for the exploration mission, reduction in mission risk and cost, and expanded human presence on the planetary surface. It can also enable the long-term commercial development of space by enabling low cost transportation, and providing the resources, technologies, and infrastructure required to allow commercial development activities to grow. Even though NASA currently does not have approved plans for human exploration missions beyond Low Earth Orbit, studies and mission design efforts and technology and system development activities are being pursued to develop technologies and mission concepts that can significantly reduce mission mass, cost, and risk and to enhance or enable robotic and human exploration initiatives. Key goals are to minimize the mass which must be brought from the Earth (including the equipment required to move or process the resource), minimize power consumption and Earth supplied processing consumables, enable or enhance new mission concepts not possible without the use of space resources, and develop infrastructure, resources, and products to promote the commercialization of space.

Proposals may be submitted for ISRU technologies at various destinations including the Moon, Mars, asteroids, planetary moons, etc. Areas for investigation of specific technologies for components or systems, and methods include the following:

• Digging, sorting, mineral separation, and transporting regolith or other materials to a processing reactor. Such systems should be lightweight, efficient, and capable of operating with minimal human supervision and maintenance.
• Extracting, collecting, and processing mission enabling or enhancing consumables (propellants, oxygen, etc.), or commercially viable resources and/or products from atmospheric, surface, and subsurface space resources that are power efficient, minimize the amount of equipment that must be brought from Earth, and require a minimum of Earth-supplied reagents. Emphasis should be placed on innovative designs and processes, and proposals for water/ice extraction or drilling should recognize the uncertainty and potential variability of both the location and abundance of such water.
• Processing surface materials into useful equipment (e.g., solar panels, radio antennas, replacement parts, etc.) which requires no further manufacturing or assembly.
• Extracting, processing, and manufacturing in situ materials that can be used for construction of products, habitable structures, and infrastructure on the Moon or Mars that enable long-term settlement.

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