In-Situ Resource Utilisation

Extracting metals — iron, nickel, and precious metals — from asteroids and from lunar and Martian regolith, to build structures in space without lifting the mass from Earth. Metal-rich M-type asteroids such as Psyche are studied as future resources.

Producing breathable oxygen and oxidiser from local materials — from the carbon dioxide of the Martian atmosphere or from oxygen-bearing lunar regolith. NASA's MOXIE experiment on the Perseverance rover demonstrated making oxygen on Mars.

Making rocket propellant in space — splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen, or combining Martian carbon dioxide with hydrogen to make methane and oxygen — so a return vehicle can be fuelled at its destination instead of carrying all its propellant from Earth.

Working the loose surface soil of the Moon and Mars — sintering or melting it into building material, extracting metals and oxygen, and using it for radiation shielding — turning the ground itself into a resource.

Mining and extracting water and volatiles — from the permanently-shadowed craters at the lunar poles and from water-bearing carbonaceous asteroids such as Bennu. Water is the keystone resource: it provides drinking water, breathable oxygen, radiation shielding, and rocket propellant.