Abstract
The chapter will explore the methods that have been suggested for the processing of the resources extracted on the Moon and asteroids, to transform them to feedstock materials suitable for the manufacturing of highly valuable products in space.
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Notes
- 1.
As a reminder, igneous rocks are formed when magma or lava cools and solidifies.
- 2.
As we saw in Chapter 2, the Moon has undergone a differentiating process that has caused the formation of a superficial crust enveloping a mantle and nucleus. And of course, differentiated asteroids such as the stony-iron and iron types do have a preferential concentration of specific minerals, either because they are the fragments of a much larger differentiated asteroid or because the energy of an impact with another asteroid produced sufficient thermal energy to trigger the differentiation process.
- 3.
This would resemble the typical mirror and lens apparatus of your run-of-the-mill Indiana Jones-style lost temple!
- 4.
As pointed out in Chapter 2, water is one of the most important resources that the Moon can offer, and in a later paragraph we will survey techniques to acquire it. Hence wet beneficiation will be possible to a certain extent. Of course, the less water we devote to mineral beneficiation, the better. We should seek beneficiation technology that reduces the inefficiencies of dry processes by using the least possible amount of water.
- 5.
A mass driver rocket engine develops thrust by expelling pieces of material by means of an electromagnetic catapult. The reaction against the coils of the electromagnetic catapult propels the spacecraft forward.
- 6.
Oxygen does not ionise, so it is not captured by the electrostatic field.
- 7.
It is good to recall that physics forbids water in any other region of the Moon. In fact, the vacuum of space and the intense heating to which the surface is subject for 14 days at a time force any trace of water embedded in the soil to sublimate and permanently escape the weak gravity.
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Figure 4.1: NASA SP-509 Space resources. Volume 3: Materials. (1992). [pdf] NASA, p172. Available at: http://www.ntrs.gov [Accessed 24 Jul. 2019].
Figure 4.2: NASA SP-428 Space Resources and Space Settlements. (1979). [pdf] NASA, p.289. Available at: http://www.ntrs.gov [Accessed 24 Jul. 2019].
Figure 4.3: NASA SP-428 Space Resources and Space Settlements. (1979). [pdf] NASA, p.193. Available at: http://www.ntrs.gov [Accessed 24 Jul. 2019].
Figure 4.4: NASA SP-428 Space Resources and Space Settlements. (1979). [pdf] NASA, p.193. Available at: http://www.ntrs.gov [Accessed 24 Jul. 2019].
Figure 4.5: NASA SP-428 Space Resources and Space Settlements. (1979). [pdf] NASA, p.192. Available at: http://www.ntrs.gov [Accessed 24 Jul. 2019].
Figure 4.6: NASA SP-509 Space resources. Volume 3: Materials. (1992). [pdf] NASA, p227. Available at: http://www.ntrs.gov [Accessed 24 Jul. 2019].
Figure 4.7: Lunar bases and space activities of the 21st century. (1985). [pdf] NASA, p.495. Available at: http://www.ntrs.gov [Accessed 25 Jul. 2019].
Figure 4.8: Lunar bases and space activities of the 21st century. (1985). [pdf] NASA, p.498. Available at: http://www.ntrs.gov [Accessed 25 Jul. 2019].
Figure 4.9: NASA SP-509 Space resources. Volume 3: Materials. (1992). [pdf] NASA, p205. Available at: http://www.ntrs.gov [Accessed 24 Jul. 2019].
Figure 4.10: NASA SP-509 Space resources. Volume 3: Materials. (1992). [pdf] NASA, p294. Available at: http://www.ntrs.gov [Accessed 24 Jul. 2019].
Figure 4.11: NASA SP-428 Space Resources and Space Settlements. (1979). [pdf] NASA, p.276. Available at: http://www.ntrs.gov [Accessed 24 Jul. 2019].
Figure 4.12: NASA SP-509 Space resources. Volume 3: Materials. (1992). [pdf] NASA, p208. Available at: http://www.ntrs.gov [Accessed 24 Jul. 2019].
Figure 4.13: Extraterrestrial materials processing and construction. (1980). [pdf] NASA, p.253. Available at: http://www.ntrs.gov [Accessed 24 Jul. 2019].
Figure 4.14: Extraterrestrial materials processing and construction. (1980). [pdf] NASA, p.250. Available at: http://www.ntrs.gov [Accessed 24 Jul. 2019].
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Sivolella, D. (2019). Processing of Space Resources. In: Space Mining and Manufacturing. Springer Praxis Books(). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30881-0_4
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