in-situ resource utilization

NASA Wants to Learn to Live Off the Land on the Moon

In preparation for the upcoming Artemis missions to the lunar south pole, NASA recently solicited a Request for Information (RFI)…

4 weeks ago

Building Roads Out of Moon Dust

Astronauts will face a host of obstacles when they visit the Moon again. There's powerful radiation, wild temperature swings, and…

2 months ago

A Comprehensive Blueprint for the Settlement of Mars

A new study considers all the challenges, benefits, and necessary steps for settling Mars.

2 months ago

One Day Astronauts Will Be Breathing Oxygen Made From Rocks

When there's a permanent base on the Moon, astronauts will need a way to replenish their oxygen supply. Fortunately, there's…

7 months ago

It Should be Possible to Farm on the Moon

An astronaut’s gotta eat, right? Especially if they are on a long-duration mission to places like the Moon. Scientists have…

9 months ago

Instead of Building Structures on Mars, we Could Grow Them With the Help of Bacteria

A new process that combines bacteria and lichen could "grow" bricks from Martian soil. The proposal selected for development by…

11 months ago

We’ll be Building Self-Replicating Probes to Explore the Milky Way Sooner Than you Think. Why Haven’t ETIs?

The future can arrive in sudden bursts. What seems a long way off can suddenly jump into view, especially when…

1 year ago

Two Spacecraft Could Work Together to Capture an Asteroid and Bring it Close to Earth for Mining

Humanity seems destined to expand into the Solar System. What exactly that looks like, and how difficult and tumultuous the…

1 year ago

Explorers Could Build Bricks on Mars with Bacteria and Pee

The famous Russian rocket scientist Konstantin Tsiolkovsky once said, “Earth is the cradle of humanity, but one cannot remain in…

2 years ago

There are Places Where Salty Water Could Emerge Onto the Surface of Mars

The existence of water on Mars is a contentious subject. We know there used to be water on the surface…

2 years ago