The (Near) Future of Space Resources
A special issue of Aerospace (ISSN 2226-4310). This special issue belongs to the section "Astronautics & Space Science".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 3615
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
I am writing to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue of MDPI’s journal Aerospace, which is dedicated to the exploration and utilization of space resources—an exciting frontier that promises to redefine the future of human civilization. As we stand on the cusp of a new era in space exploration, the significance of harnessing extraterrestrial resources cannot be overstated. This edition aims to serve as a comprehensive platform for scholarly discussions and cutting-edge research, connecting experts from diverse fields to explore the myriad opportunities and challenges associated with the sustainable exploitation of space resources.
The scope of this edition includes a broad spectrum of topics, including, but not limited to, the prospecting, extraction, and utilization of space resources, as well as the legal and ethical considerations that underpin the responsible use of these resources. We welcome contributions related to any technology leveraging space resources to enhance our ability to explore or inhabit space, as well as those innovations designed to improve life on Earth. Of particular interest are topics with more immediate practical implications, considering the forthcoming Artemis missions and anticipated reductions in launch costs. We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions, which will enrich our understanding of this dynamic and forward-facing field.
Dr. Michael Nord
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Aerospace is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- space resources
- in situ resource utilization
- space mining
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Planned Papers
The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.
Title: E-beam and Solar Thermal Driven Oxygen and Metal Production from Lunar Regolith
Authors: Robert Moses; Sang Choi; Cheol Park; Catharine Fay
Affiliation: Tamer Space, LLC
Abstract: NASA envisions commercial operations will start with production of tens of metric tons of oxygen per year but will evolve into hundreds to thousands of metric tons of a variety of commodities including oxygen, water, propellants, construction, and manufacturing feedstock. NASA also envisions that commercial lunar mining and processing systems will adhere to the principles of ethical and responsible use of space, especially those identified in “Moon to Mars Objectives” and “Artemis, Ethics and Society: Synthesis from a Workshop” publications. NASA published in 2021 a system concept that illustrates the separation of oxygen and metals from lunar regolith by combining an electron beam (E-beam) with concentrated sunlight. Herein, that system concept has been analyzed in more detail using the current state of the art in E-beam system technology, known dissociation properties of some materials, and an assumption pertaining to the reactant properties of regolith to electrons as design constraints. Our theoretical analysis shows that the combination of solar thermal, E-beam spectral, and E-beam thermal offers a great advantage to increase the production rates of oxygen and metals from lunar regolith. The electron beam system, when combined with the solar concentrator, offers an ethical and responsible use of space by tapping clean energy while producing no nuclear waste or chemical byproducts.