Lecture 1

Question 1

What is “SRU”?

Answer 1

• Space Resource Utilisation
• General term including all possible ways of utilisation

Question 2

What is an example of SRU?

Answer 2

Capturing an asteroid and bringing it back to Earth for terrestrial utilisation

Question 3

What is “ISRU”?

Answer 3

• In-Situ Resource Utilisation
• Specific utilisation of resources locally in space, “living off the land”

Question 4

What is an example of ISRU?

Answer 4

Mining water and oxygen from the Moon to supply humans on/around the Moon

Question 5

What are “ISCP”, “ISPP” and “ISFR”?

Answer 5

• In-Situ Consumable Production
• In-Situ Propellant Production
• In-Situ Fabrication and Repair

Question 6

What are 3 fundamental questions of ISRU?

Answer 6

• What is needed / Who needs it (Demand)
• What is locally available (Availability)
• How can it be used (Product)

Question 7

What are some human needs for ISRU?

Answer 7

• Oxygen
• Nutrition
• Water
• Sunlight

Question 8

What are the 2 most relevant types of propellant for ISRU and where can they be supplied?

Answer 8

• Hydrolox (LOX and LH2), Moon
• Methalox (LOX and LCH4), Mars

Question 9

What are advantages and disadvantages of Hydrolox compared to Methalox?

Answer 9

+ Higher specific impulse
+ Cleaner
- Boiloff
- Hydrogen embrittlement

Question 10

What are advantages and disadvantages of Methalox compared to Hydrolox?

Answer 10

+ Higher boiling temperature, making it easier to store and handle
+ No hydrogen embrittlement
- Lower specific impulse
- Less clean

Question 11

What are some machine needs for ISRU and why are they important?

Answer 11

• Spare parts and tools (mainly metal alloys and polymers)
• Material and tools for repairs
• Important for mission flexibility

Question 12

What are some building/settlement needs for ISRU?

Answer 12

• Construction material
• Semi-finished parts
• Structures
• Shielding
• Logistical infrastructure

Question 13

What are 3 sources from which resources can be extracted in space?

Answer 13

• Atmosphere
• Regolith
• Sunlight

Question 14

In which areas can ISRU provide needed products for space missions?

Answer 14

• Construction
• Life Support
• Propulsion
• Power
• Fabrication

Question 15

What are 5 benefits of ISRU?

Answer 15

• Mass and Cost Reduction
• Reduced Emissions
• Space Commercialisation
• Risk Reduction and Flexibility
• Human Presence

Question 16

What are the effective exhaust velocities for Hydrolox and Methalox thrusters?

Answer 16

• Hydrolox: 4,5 km/s
• Methalox: 3,6 km/s

Question 17

What are the escape velocities of Earth, Moon, Mars, Venus and Mercury?

Answer 17

• Earth: 11,2 km/s
• Moon: 2,3 km/s
• Mars: 5,0 km/s
• Venus: 10,2 km/s
• Mercury: 4,3 km/s

Question 18

What are 3 popular application scenarios for refuelling stations?

Answer 18

• Lunar surface (refuel landed spacecraft for return capability)
• EML1 (staging and refuelling spacecraft for Mars departure)
• LEO (refuelling upper stages to travel to and beyond GEO)

Question 19

What byproducts/emissions are created during a launch on Earth with Hydrolox/Methalox?

Answer 19

• Hydrolox: NOx
• Methalox: NOx, CO2

Question 20

What is an example of motivation for space exploration by economic reasons?

Answer 20

Communication satellite industry

Question 21

How much market revenue is the SRU industry expected to generate over the 2018-2045 period?

Answer 21

170 Billion €

Question 22

What are possible customers of products generated by SRU?

Answer 22

• Space agencies
• Companies
• Consumers
• Military

Question 23

What are the goals for risk reduction and flexibility by ISRU?

Answer 23

• Reduce risk for failures in launches from Earth
• Minimise mission risk from transportation delays and failures
• Failure recovery (account for probability of hardware failures)
• Enable long-term stays (no mass-limitations for shielding)
• Adjust to changing needs during the mission
• Take advantage of the modularity (e.g. same interfaces for propellant/consumables)