The world’s main space agencies — NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), the China National Space Administration (CNSA), among others — are preparing to send astronauts back to the Moon for the first time since the Apollo era. These missions, which will go beyond low Earth orbit after more than five decades, face enormous logistical challenges.
Unlike the International Space Station, which can receive supplies within hours thanks to rockets like the Falcon 9, lunar trips require much heavier vehicles and a journey of at least three days. For this reason, the concept of in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) is gaining strength: using local materials to generate water, fuel, food, and even construction materials.
In this context, a fundamental resource is the ice present in the craters of the Moon’s south pole, key to…more
Source www.theweather.com
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