The Relevance of Mars Samples to Planning for Potential Future In-Situ Resource Utilization [STUB]
2018
Considerable recent planning has focused on the potential importance of Mars in-situ resources to support future human missions. While atmospheric CO2 provides a source of oxygen [1], the
regolith offers other potential resources [2]. The most
significant surface asset is water, which could be used
for propellant generation [3], life support, habitat sustainment, and agriculture [4]. In regard to the latter, the
regolith could also provide a source of nutrients to
supplement terrestrial fertilizers and/or act as a substrate to buffer plant roots. Local material could also be
used as feedstock for construction, including for structures, roads, and additive manufacturing [5]. Native
salts (e.g. perchlorates or chlorides) in the Martian
regolith could be used as water absorbents for closed
loop life support systems or for capture of the limited
atmospheric water.
Any of these in-situ processes would require definition of the resources to influence equipment design and
resource budgeting. Exploration via orbital and landed
surveys as well as technical demonstrations would be
necessary. Mars sample return could play a key role in
supporting this planning, especially when considering
possible long-term human presence.
The goal of the International MSR Objectives &
Samples Team (iMOST) is to define the objectives that
could be met using returned martian samples, and identify the types of samples needed to meet those objectives. In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) is one of the
six iMOST objectives, and this document summarizes
the needs specified therein.
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