I just learned about this. NASA has a broad challenge out there for people to propose effective methods of mining lunar resources and shipping them to the south (lunar) pole for processing.
Dig In: NASA Challenge Seeks Innovations to Excavate Moon Resources
From garage inventors to university students and entrepreneurs, NASA is looking for ideas on how to excavate the Moon’s icy regolith, or dirt, and deliver it to a hypothetical processing plant at the lunar South Pole. The NASA Break the Ice Lunar Challenge, now open for registration, is designed to develop new technologies that could support a sustained human presence on the Moon by the end of the decade.
“We are excited about this opportunity to broaden our community engagement in the Artemis program and explore new infrastructure approaches for the Moon,” said NASA’s Associate Administrator for the Space Technology Mission Directorate Jim Reuter. "As outlined in our plan for sustained lunar exploration and development, NASA is pursuing technology development that allows future explorers to live off the land . With this challenge, we’re soliciting fresh ideas from outside the traditional aerospace sector for acquiring and processing resources needed to support long-duration human surface exploration.”
It’s apparently open to anyone, and the prize is a portion of the $500,000 Phase I prize purse
The Break the Ice Lunar Challenge will take place over two phases.
Phase 1 seeks new ideas and approaches for a system architecture capable of excavating and moving icy regolith and water on the lunar surface. Eligible Phase 1 participants must submit a system architecture report, excavation plan, and mission animation by June 18, 2021 that addresses various operations and environmental conditions of a hypothetical excavation mission on the lunar surface. The entries will compete for a portion of the $500,000 Phase 1 prize purse.
The initiation of Phase 2, the demonstration phase, is contingent on the emergence of promising submissions in Phase 1 that demonstrate viable approaches to achieving the challenge goals. Phase 2 would carry a prize purse of up to $4.5 million.
From garage inventors to university students and entrepreneurs, NASA is looking for ideas on how to excavate the Moon’s icy regolith, or dirt, and deliver it
I thought space treaties prevent any one nation from claiming extra-terrestrial resources.
pjd
January 20, 2021, 11:40pm
3
Artemes statement says "We will collaborate with our commercial and international partners and establish sustainable exploration by the end of the decade. "
They’ve also announced a challenge, with a $500k prize purse, for ideas on how to provide astronauts healthy, tasty food for longer missions to Mars and beyond.
First there will need to be a sufficient amount of whaling done.
LSLGuy
January 21, 2021, 1:59am
6
Nuke the gray (lunar) whales!