// ORBITAL LOGISTICS AND PROPULSION TERM
Space Resource
Any material or energy found in space that can be used for human activities, such as water ice on the Moon or asteroids, or solar energy.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
Space resources refer to naturally occurring materials (e.g., water ice, regolith, rare earth elements) and energy (solar radiation) found on celestial bodies (Moon, asteroids, Mars) or in space, which can be extracted and utilized for in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) to support future space exploration and economic development.
BACKGROUND
Deep Space Industries, or DSI, was an American privately-held company operating in the space technology and space exploration sectors. It initially focused on asteroid mining, including spacecraft concepts for harvesting resources for in-space use. It was acquired on January 1, 2019 by Bradford Space.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- Extraterrestrial resources
- ISRU materials
- space minerals
- lunar resources
USAGE NOTE
The extraction and utilization of space resources are key to long-term space sustainability.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to Space Resource.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration actively researches and develops In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) technologies for lunar and Martian exploration, crucial for sustainable human presence.
The European Space Agency pursues programs and research into lunar resource utilization, including water ice extraction and construction materials for future European lunar missions.
A Japanese lunar exploration company focused on developing landers and rovers to deliver payloads to the Moon and collect data towards the goal of identifying and utilizing lunar resources.
Develops advanced robotic rovers and technologies for lunar exploration and commercial operations, including prospecting for water ice and other valuable resources on the Moon.
A developer of robotic systems and tools for planetary exploration, specializing in sample acquisition, drilling, and In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) technologies for lunar and Martian missions.
Provides a range of in-space manufacturing and assembly solutions that leverage space resources to create new structures, components, and tools in orbit or on celestial bodies.
Develops lunar landers and rovers, enabling the delivery of scientific and commercial payloads to the Moon, including instruments for resource prospecting and demonstration of resource utilization technologies.
Aims to enable a future where millions of people live and work in space, developing rockets, landers, and infrastructure that will eventually rely heavily on the utilization of off-Earth resources.
Designs, manufactures, and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft with a long-term vision of making humanity multi-planetary, which implicitly requires extensive In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) on Mars and beyond.