Interplanetary Transportation, Logistics and In-Situ Utilization

The 50th anniversary of the first human landing on the Moon has revived the interest of space agencies and private companies on the Earth only natural satellite.

Mining the Moon has become the topics of interest to the entire space community. It can help supporting the push to send humans back to the Moon and the exploration of the solar system.

This event will update the international community on the progress made toward implementing the U.S. strategy and advances made in Italy and Europe.

The event is co-organized with the Space Policy Institute of the George Washington University and the SEE Lab (Space Economy Evolution Lab) of the SDA Bocconi School of Management at the Embassy of Italy - Washington D.C.

What is mining  the Moon?

Space mining  is a very complicated  endeavor. Many high  risk factors, such as uncertainties about presence and concentration of space resources, technology readiness,  relatively  high  initial  investment  requirements,  and  negative  cash flow  during  the  first  few  years  affect  these  projects.  Results  from  Moon unmanned  missions  indicate  the  presence of  many  resources on  the  Moon, such as Helium-3,  rare earth elements, platinum  and other precious metals, and ice.In the short/medium  period,  the most promising  resources are those needed for propellant  production  (water  ice).  

The  total  mass  of  propellant  needed  for space missions  launched from the Earth's surface places serious limitations  on these types of  missions.  The low  gravity  of the  Moon  compared to  the Earth creates  new  economic  opportunities   for  Moon  propellant   (hydrogen  and oxygen),  and  water  and  oxygen  for  life  support  systems  in  various  orbits  between Earth and the Moon, and even beyond.This event will  address the following  questions:  

(i) is space resource utilization by solely  private  markets sustainable.  
(ii)  What is the role  for governments  as purchasers of services/products as a normal  customer and  not as a subsidize d special   incentive?   
(iii)    What   type   of   public-private    partnership   are important/appropriate  to  enable  the  development  of  a  private-sector  market.
(iv) What  are  space  resources  exploration  strategies  and  lunar  ice  mining architecture?  
(v)   Legal   and   policy   perspectives   in   the   framework   of international  space law. (vi) What are the economics and policy  issues of cis-lunar  transportation  services?

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SDA Bocconi School of Management - Photo credit. NASA