NEEP602 Course Notes (Fall 1996)
Resources from Space

Lecture #3: Anybody got a drink? How about a light?

Title: Resource Requirements in Space

Notes:

Earth and Moon Supplied Resources

Low Earth Orbit Space Stations

*food (human use)
*water (human use and regenerative fuel cell power)
*oxygen (breathing, fuel cell power, and station-keeping and deorbit propulsion)
*hydrogen (fuel cell power and stationkeeping and deorbit propulsion)
*nitrogen (possibly required for habitat atmosphere)
*helium (possibly required for propulsion augmentation or habitat atmosphere)
*silicon solar cells
gallium arsenide solar cells
*organic working fluids (C-H-N-OH-P-Cl-F)
semiconductors (electronics)
*composites (structural)
*hydrocarbon and halogenated hydrocarbon compounds (fabrics, plastics, tephlon, etc.)
aluminum, titanium, and other metals (structural)
precision equipment
*medical supplies
----------------------------------------------------
* potentially re-supplied from the Moon once lunar resource production established and lunar launch consumables (hydrogen, oxygen, and possibly helium) are available.

Moon Supplied Resources

Libration Point Space Stations

food (human use)
water (human use and regenerative fuel cell power)
oxygen (breathing, fuel cell power, and station-keeping and deorbit propulsion)
hydrogen (fuel cell power and stationkeeping and deorbit propulsion)
nitrogen (possibly required for habitat atmosphere)
helium (possibly required for propulsion augmentation or habitat atmosphere)
silicon solar cells
*gallium arsenide solar cells
organic working fluids (C-H-N-OH-P-Cl-F)
semiconductors (electronics)
*composites (structural)
*hydrocarbon and halogenated hydrocarbon compounds (fabrics, plastics, tephlon, etc.)
aluminum, titanium, and other metals (structural)
*precision equipment
regolith (radiation, micrometeoroid, and thermal protection)
*medical supplies
-----------------
NOTE: re-supplied from the Moon once lunar resource production established and lunar launch consumables (hydrogen, oxygen, and possibly helium) are available. * may require use of Earth resources for an extended period.

Lunar Orbit Space Stations
(same as for Libration Point Stations)

Lunar Surface Bases
(same as for Libration Point Stations)
large solar arrays
*nuclear power systems (large, continuous power needs)
large structures
*precision parts
*power distribution (wire, fiber, and/or microwave)
aggregate (roads, work areas, parking, "concrete," etc.)
fertilizer (nitrogen, phosphorus)
*medical supplies
----------------
NOTE: re-supplied from lunar resource production. * may require use of Earth resources for an extended period.

Lunar Surface Settlements
(same as for Lunar Surface Bases except for [1] gradually increasing use of lunar "industrial" minor elements [Cu, Zn, F, Cl, S, Pd group, etc.) to replace resources supplied from Earth or which cannot be recycled and [2] ultimate utilization of luna

Mars Conveyor Space Stations
(same as for Lunar Orbit Space Station with the exception that Phobos and Demos might ultimately become low cost suppliers of some consumables) helium-3 (3He) (fusion power, propulsion, and radiation protection)

Mars Orbital Stations
(same as for Mars Conveyor Space Stations)

Mars Surface Exploration
food (human use)
water (human use and regenerative fuel cell power)
oxygen (breathing, fuel cell power, and stationkeeping and deorbit propulsion)
hydrogen (fuel cell power and station-keeping and deorbit propulsion)
nitrogen (possibly required for habitat atmosphere)
helium (possibly required for propulsion augmentation or habitat atmosphere)
silicon solar cells
*gallium arsenide solar cells
organic working fluids (C-H-N-OH-P-Cl-F)
*composites (structural)
*hydrocarbon and halogenated hydrocarbon compounds (fabrics, plastics, tephlon, etc.)
*aluminum, titanium, and other metals (structural)
*precision equipment
Martian regolith (radiation and thermal protection and aggregate)
*medical supplies
* probably require units manufactured from the Earth resources unless initial Martian expolartion starts well after lunar settlement begins and lunar manufactured systems are available.

Moon and Mars Supplied Resources

Mars Surface Bases
(same as for Mars Surface Exploration )
large solar arrays
large structures
*power distribution (wire, fiber, and/or microwave)
aggregate (roads, work areas, parking, "concrete," etc.)
fertilizer (nitrogen, phosphorus)
*medical supplies
-------------------
* may require use of Earth resources for an extended period until they can be supplied by lunar settlements.

Mars Supplied Resources

Mars Surface Settlements (ditto LSS)
(same as for Mars Surface Bases except for [1] gradually increasing use of Martian "industrial" minor elements [Cu, Zn, F, Cl, S, Pd group, etc.) to replace resources supplied from Earth or Moon or which cannot be recycled, [2] utilization of lunar helium-3 fusion power plants to replace solar power and storage systems, and [3] Phobos and Demos might ultimately become low cost suppliers of some consumables.)

Mars Initiated chemical Propulsion (hydrogen, oxygen, lunar helium-4)

Mars or Moon Supplied Resources

Solar System Exploration
(same as Mars Conveyor Space Station except power and proplusion probably will be entirely from helium-3 fusion.)

Solar System Conveyors
(same as Solar System Exploration)

Outer Planet Orbital Stations and Surface Bases

Interstellar Exploration
Questions: Text: None

References:

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