Valuing ISRU

Valuing ISRU - a short paper and an as yet, unfinished longer manuscript

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1. Introduction.. 3

2. Scenarios. 4

A. Scenario 1. “One and Done” Mars ISRU.. 5

A.1 Application of Mars ISRU.. 5

A.1.1 Introduction. 5

A.1.2 Propellants. 6

A.1.2.1 Ascent Propellants. 7

A.1.2.2 Propellants for Orbit Insertion and Departure. 7

A.1.2.3 Propellants Delivered to Mars Orbit for Descent 7

A1.3 Life Support Consumables. 7

A.2 Mars ISRU Resources and Processes. 7

A.2.1 Mars Resources. 7

A.2.1.1 The Mars Atmosphere. 7

A2.1.2 H2O as hydrated minerals 8

A2.1.3 H2O as ice imbedded in regolith. 8

A.2.2 Near-Term Mars Processes. 8

A.2.2.1 Atmosphere Acquisition, Compression and Possibly Purification. 8

A.2.2.2 Dust Mitigation. 8

A.2.2.3 Solid Oxide Electrolysis 8

A.2.2.4 Reverse Water Gas Synthesis. 8

A.2.3 Intermediate-Term Mars Processes 9

A.2.3.A Recovery of H2O from hydrated minerals 9

B. Scenario 2. Multi-Lander Mars ISRU.. 9

C. Scenario 3. Lunar Base. 9

C.1 Application of Lunar ISRU.. 9

C.1.1 Introduction. 9

C.1.2 Ascent Propellants 10

C.1.3 Life Support Consumables 11

C.1.4 Propellants Delivered to Lunar Orbit for Descent (and Ascent) 11

C.2 Lunar Resources and Processes. 12

C.2.1 Introduction. 12

C.2.2 Oxygen from FeO in Regolith. 12

C.2.3 Oxygen from Regolith Silicates. 14

C.2.4 Extracting Putative Volatiles. 15

C.2.5 Utilizing Polar Ice Deposits. 15

C.2.6 NASA Study of Lunar ISRU Using Polar Ice. 18

C.2.7 Cost Analysis for Lunar ISRU.. 19

D. Scenario 4. Futuristic Cis-Lunar Propellant Depots. 20

D.1 Background. 20

D.2 Scope of Cis-Lunar/Gateway Discussion. 21

D.3 Net amount of H2O, H2 and O2 delivered to the depot in cis-lunar space. 22

D.3.1 Overview.. 22

D.3.2 Percentage of Water Mined on the Moon Transferred to LEO. 26

D3.3 Transfer via LL1. 26

D3.4 Dependence on Junction Site. 29

D.4 Lunar Ferry for Lunar Descent Propellants. 30

D.5 Staging, Assembly and Refueling in Near-Earth Space. 32

D.5.1 Orbiting Fuel Depots. 32

D.5.1.1 Introduction. 32

D.5.1.2 Propellants for Earth Departure. 33

D.5.1.3 Propellant Depots in LEO Filled by Delivery from Earth. 35

D.5.2 On-Orbit Staging. 38