Tag: In-situ resource utilization
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The Perils of Settling Space: Navigating Risks in a New Frontier
Introduction: The Double-Edged Promise of Space Settlement The idea of establishing communities beyond Earth has long captured the imagination of scientists, writers, and dreamers. In discussions like those from Kelly and Zach Weinersmith with host Jenni Doering, the promise of a self-sufficient city on Mars or a lunar outpost often comes paired with a sobering…
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Space Architecture and a Greener Earth: Building in Orbit to Protect Our Planet
Can Space Architecture Help Heal Earth? Humankind has long imagined turning space into a laboratory for better living back home. Proponents like space architect Ariel Ekblaw argue that the bottleneck isn’t the idea but the real estate: how to assemble and sustain large volumes of habitat in orbit. If we can build efficient, self‑sufficient structures…
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Lunar Glass Bubbles: NASA’s Self-Healing Moon Homes from Dust
NASA’s Bold Plan: Glass Bubbles for Moon Habitats NASA is exploring a futuristic concept to house astronauts on the Moon using a resource that is already present on the lunar surface: lunar glass. The idea, championed by a private contractor called Skyeports, envisions large, transparent glass bubbles formed from melted lunar regolith. These self-contained habitats…
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Lunar Glass Bubble Homes: NASA’s Bold Plan to Use Moon Dust for Habitats and Self-Healing Shields
Introduction: A bold leap for Moon habitats NASA is exploring a visionary approach to establishing human habitats on the Moon. By turning lunar soil, or regolith, into glass and then shaping it into bubble-like structures, scientists hope to create transparent, durable homes that can withstand the Moon’s harsh environment. This concept, spearheaded by Skyeports, blends…
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Five Technologies Powering the Next-Gen Space Habitats
Introduction: Building the Next-Generation Space Habitats As humanity sets its sights on longer missions and settlements beyond Earth, the technologies that support life aboard spacecraft and off-world habitats are evolving rapidly. Five key technologies stand out for their potential to create sustainable, safe, and efficient environments in space: closed-loop life support, advanced spacesuits, solar power…
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Space Habitats of Tomorrow: 5 Technologies Driving Missions
Introduction: A new era of space living As humanity eyes sustained exploration and potential settlements beyond Earth, five technologies stand out for their ability to power the next generation of space habitats. These innovations address the core needs of long-duration missions: reliable life support, mobility and safety, continuous energy, construction with local materials, and adaptive…
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Platinum from Space: Moon Craters as Rich Metal Reserves
Moon Craters as Potential Mineral Mines New research published in Planetary and Space Science proposes that lunar impact craters could harbor substantial deposits of platinum‑group metals. Led by a Canadian astronomer and conducted with partners from American and British institutions, the study shifts the focus from near‑Earth asteroids to the Moon as a practical source…
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Moon Craters May Hold Massive Platinum Reserves, Scientists Say
Lunar Discovery: Moon Craters as Platinum Reservoirs In a provocative new study published in Planetary and Space Science, researchers suggest that the Moon’s cratered landscape could be a substantial source of platinum-group metals. The team proposes that minerals such as palladium, platinum, and rhodium could be dispersed across thousands of lunar impact craters—an estimated 6,500…