1

In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU)

Envisioned Future Priorities

Update 

Mar. 9, 2023

Create and Demonstrate New Human Spaceflight Capabilities. 

 Empower the Commercial Space Industry

Gerald (Jerry) Sanders | ISRU System Capability Lead – STMD I gerald.b.sanders@nasa.gov

Julie Kleinhenz | ISRU System Capability Deputy – STMD I julie.e.kleinhenz@nasa.gov 
LIVE: Develop exploration technologies and enable a vibrant space economy with 

supporting utilities and commodities

Scalable ISRU production/utilization capabilities including sustainable commodities* on the lunar & Mars surface

COMMERCIAL SCALE WATER, OXYGEN, METALS & COMMODITY PRODUCTION

• Lunar resources mapped at 

meter scale for commercial 

mining

• 10’s of metric tons of 

commodities per year for 

initial goal commercial usage

• Scalable to 100’s to 1000’s 

metric tons per year

IN SITU DERIVED FEEDSTOCK FOR CONSTRUCTION, MANUFACTURING,

& ENERGY

• Initial goal of simple landing pads and protective structures

• 100’s to 1000’s metric tons of regolith-based feedstock for construction projects

• 10’s to 100’s metric tons of metals, plastics, and binders 

• Elements and materials for multi-megawatts of energy generation and storage

• Recycle, repurpose, and reuse manufacturing and construction materials & waste

COMMODITIES FOR HABITATS & FOOD PRODUCTION

• Water, fertilizers, carbon dioxide, 

and other crop growth support

• Crop production habitats and 

processing systems

• Consumables for life support , EVAs, 

and crew rovers/habitats for growing 

human space activities

COMMODITIES FOR COMMERCIAL REUSABLE IN-SPACE AND SURFACE

TRANSPORTATION AND DEPOTS

• 30 to 60 metric tons per lander mission

• 100’s to 1000’s metric tons per year of for Cis-lunar Space

• 100’s metric tons per year for human Mars transportation

All activities depicted not currently funded or approved. Depicts “notional future” to guide technology vision. *Commodities are items and consumables that can be eventually sold 2
IN SITU RESOURCE UTILIZATION (ISRU) INTERFACES WITH MULTIPLE 

STRATEGIC OUTCOMES AND REQUIRE SUPPORT FROM OTHER PT/SCLTS

ISRU Outcome: Scalable ISRU production/utilization capabilities including sustainable commodities on the lunar & Mars surface. 

Cryogenic Fluid Management –liquefaction, storage, and 

transfer

Advanced Propulsion - Provide propellant to reduce landed 

mass; increase ascent vehicle capability; reusability

Entry Descent and Landing - Ascent Vehicle design

Advanced Power Systems – Receive power; provide fuel cell 

consumables; alternative thermal storage; common technologies

Advanced Thermal Management – 10’s KW thermal heat 

rejection; shutdown or operation in lunar night and shadowed regions

Autonomous Excavation, Construction, & Outfitting 

Receive/remove regolith; provide resource information and 

manufacturing/construction commodities; common technologies

Advanced Habitation Systems– Provide consumables; 

receive waste & trash; common technologies

Autonomous Systems & Robotics – Mobile platforms; 

Receive control and monitoring of complex ISRU operations 3
In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) Capability – ‘Prospect to Product’

ISRU involves any hardware or operation that harnesses and utilizes ‘in-situ’ resources

to create commodities* for robotic and human exploration and space commercialization

Destination Reconnaissance & Resource Assessment

Assessment and mapping of physical, mineral, 

chemical, and water/volatile resources, terrain, 

geology, and environment

Resource Acquisition, Isolation, & Preparation

Atmosphere constituent collection, and 

soil/material collection via drilling, excavation, 

transfer, and/or manipulation before Processing

Resource Processing

Chemical, thermal, electrical, and or biological 

conversion of acquired resources and intermediate 

products into 

§ Mission Consumables

§ Feedstock for Construction & Manufacturing

Water/Volatile Extraction

A subset of both Resource Acquisition and 

Processing focused on water and other 

volatiles that exist in extraterrestrial soils

Ø

Ø

ISRU is a capability involving multiple disciplines 

and elements to achieve final products 

ISRU does not exist on its own. It must link to 

users/customers of ISRU products *Commodities are items and consumables that can be eventually sold 4
ISRU Functional Breakdown And Flow Diagram

§

§

Functional Breakdown and Flow Diagram used to 

understand:

‒ Technology State of the Art and gaps 

‒ Connectivity Internally and with other disciplines

‒ Influence of technologies on complete system and 

other functions

ISRU functions have shared interest w/ Autonomous 

Excavation, Construction, & Outfitting (AECO)

‒ Destination Reconnaissance

‒ Resource Excavation & Delivery

‒ Construction Feedstock Production

5
ISRU Must Operate as Part of A Larger Architecture

P = Provided to ISRU

S = Supplied by ISRU

Italic = Other Disciplines

§

§

Architecture elements must be designed with ISRU product usage in mind from the start to maximize benefits

Infrastructure capabilities and interdependencies must be established and evolve with ISRU product users and needs 

‒ Transition from Earth-supplied to ISRU-supplied

‒ Guided by overarching Site Master Plan

6
= Key ISRU M2M Objectives

Moon to Mars (M2M) Blueprint Objectives: 

ISRU Objectives Traceability Matrix

Resource Assessment

AS-3LM Characterize accessible lunar and martian resources, gather scientific research 

data, and analyze potential reserves to satisfy science and technology objectives 

and enable In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) on successive missions. 

OP-3LM Characterize accessible resources, gather scientific research data, and analyze 

potential reserves to satisfy science and technology objectives and enable use of 

resources on successive missions.

LPS-3LM Reveal inner solar system volatile origin and delivery processes by determining the age, origin, 

distribution, abundance, composition, transport, and sequestration of lunar and martian volatiles.

TH-7M Develop systems for crew to explore, operate, and live on the martian surface to address key 

questions with respect to science and resources.

SE-3LM Develop the capability to retrieve core samples of frozen volatiles from permanently shadowed 

regions on the Moon and volatile-bearing sites on Mars and to deliver them in pristine states to 

modern curation facilities on Earth. 

Responsible ISRU

SE-7LM: Preserve and protect representative features of special interest, including lunar permanently 

shadowed regions and the radio quiet far side as well as martian recurring slope lineae, to enable 

future high-priority science investigations. 

OP-12LM Establish procedures and systems that will minimize the disturbance to the local environment, 

maximize the resources available to future explorers, and allow for reuse/recycling of material 

transported from Earth (and from the lunar surface in the case of Mars) to be used during 

exploration

RT-6 Responsible Use: conduct all activities for the exploration and use of outer space for 

peaceful purposes consistent with international obligations, and principles for responsible 

behavior in space

ISRU and Usage

LI-7L Demonstrate industrial scale ISRU capabilities in support of continuous 

human lunar presence and a robust lunar economy.

LI-8L Demonstrate technologies supporting cislunar orbital/surface depots, construction and 

manufacturing maximizing the use of in-situ resources, and support systems needed for 

continuous human/robotic presence. 

MI-4M Develop Mars ISRU capabilities to support an initial human Mars 

exploration campaign.

OP-11LM Demonstrate the capability to use commodities produced from planetary 

surface or in-space resources to reduce the mass required to be 

transported from Earth.

TH-3L Develop system(s) to allow crew to explore, operate, and live on the lunar surface and in 

lunar orbit with scalability to continuous presence; conducting scientific and industrial 

utilization as well as Mars analog activities. 

Superscript text indicates the applicability to Lunar (L), Martian (M) or both (LM). 
Time and Spatial Evolution of Lunar Resources and 

Commodities for Commercial and Strategic Interests

§ ISRU starts with the easiest resources to mine, requiring the minimum infrastructure, and providing immediate local usage

§ The initial focus is on the lunar South Pole region (highland regolith and water/volatiles in shadowed regions) 

‒ ISRU will evolve to other locations, more specific minerals, more refined products, and delivery to other destinations

Commodities

§

§

§

§

§

§

§

§

§

Oxygen

Water

Bulk & Refined 

Regolith

Raw & Refined 

Metals (Al, Fe, Ti)

Silicon and Ceramics

Construction 

Feedstock

Manufacturing 

Feedstock

Fuels, Plastics, 

Hydrocarbons

Food/Nutrient 

Feedstock 8
Lunar ISRU Commodities: 

Polar Water, Oxygen from Regolith, and Feedstocks/Precursors

§

§

§

§

Water (and Volatiles) from Polar Regolith

− Form, concentration, and distribution of Water in shadowed regions/craters is not known

• Technologies & missions in work to locate and characterize resources to reduce risk for mission incorporation

− Provides 100% of chemical propulsion propellant mass

− Polar water is “Game Changing” and enables long-term sustainability

• Strongly influences design and reuse of cargo and human landers and transportation elements

• Strongly influences location for sustained surface operations

Oxygen/Metal from Regolith

− Lunar regolith is >40% oxygen (O2) by mass

• Polar highland regolith: mostly anorthosite rich in aluminum and silicon; poor in iron

• Equatorial mare regolith: regions of high iron/titanium, KREEP, and pyroclastic glasses

− Technologies and operations are moderate risk from past work and can be performed anywhere on the Moon

− Provides 75 to 80% of chemical propulsion propellant mass (fuel from Earth); O2 for EVA, rovers, Habs.

− Experience from regolith excavation, beneficiation, and transfer applicable to mining Mars hydrated soil/minerals for water and in situ 

manufacturing and constructions

Manufacturing & Construction Feedstock

− Bulk or refined regolith (size sorted/mineral beneficiation) forms the bulk of the construction feedstock

− Metals and slag from oxygen extraction can be used or modified as feedstock

− Chemical and biological processing to produce binders and further refine construction materials

Ø Requires close ties to In Space Manufacturing (ISM) and Autonomous, Excavation, Construction and Outfitting (AECO)

Support for Plant/Food/Nutrient Production

− Bulk or refined regolith (size sorted, mineral beneficiation, milled, treated) for plant growth media

− Chemical and biological processing (esp. of carbon/water) of wastes and in situ resources to produce nutrient and food precursors

Ø Requires close ties to Life Support Systems

9
Plan to Achieve ISRU Outcome Scalable ISRU production/utilization capabilities including 

sustainable commodities on the lunar & Mars surface

§

§

Ø

Ø

Ø

Ø

Enable Industry to Implement ISRU for Artemis, Sustained Human Presence, and Space Commercialization

Define Initial and Long-term Customer Needs for ISRU-derived Products

‒ Work within NASA and International Partners: Artemis elements, Moon/Mars Surface Architecture, and Critical Systems 

(Life Support & Food Production, Propulsion, Manufacturing, Construction)

‒ Utilize Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium and work with Terrestrial/Space Industry to define near-term needs and to 

lay the foundation for long-term lunar economic development

Advance ISRU technologies and systems for lunar missions by utilizing NASA solicitations, public private partnerships, 

internal/external investments

‒ Perform and support extensive ground development, low/micro-g flights, and integration/testing of hardware and systems

‒ Coordinate requirements, development, and implementation of infrastructure required for ISRU operations (Power, 

Product Storage, Comm & Nav., Excavation and Construction, etc.)

Reduce Risk and Promote Investment in ISRU Systems and Products

‒ Provide to industry key and enabling NASA capabilities and resources to include: 

• Perform fundamental research and technology development, both high TRL (near term) and low TRL (distant)

• Information, facilities, and technologies (technology transfer)

• Foster and support or lead system modeling/analysis, integration, and analog and environmental testing of diverse 

technologies from multiple companies and partners

‒ Support data buys for lunar resource understanding and ISRU technologies/operations

‒ Perform and support lunar resource assessment and technology demonstrations (CLPS, HLS, Int’l Partner, Industry)

Promote Industry-led ISRU Development thru End-to-End ISRU Production of Commodities (i.e. Pilot Plant)

− Production at sufficient scale to eliminate risk of Full-scale system

− Initially use ISRU-derived commodity in non-mission critical applications (life support, hopper propellant, etc.)

ISRU must be demonstrated on the Moon before mission-critical applications are flown

‒ Utilize lunar flight demonstrations and Pilot Plant operations to break ‘chicken and egg’ cycle 

‒ Conduct prospecting missions to locate predicted water/ice reserves proximal to potential base camps. 10
ISRU Path to Full Implementation & Commercialization*

*Proposed missions and timeline are contingent on NASA appropriations, technology advancement, 

and industry participation, partnerships, and objectives

Full-scale 

implementation 

& Commercial 

Operations

This requires transition 

and ‘Pull’ from STMD to 

ESDMD and Industry 

(next chart)

§

§

§

Dual Path that includes both Water Mining and Oxygen/Metal from Regolith

‒ Regolith Processing and O2/Metal Path supports Surface Construction activities and demonstrations as well

Ground development of multiple critical technologies in both pathways underway to maximize success and industry involvement

Resource assessment missions to obtain critical data on mineral and water/volatile resources have started

‒ Significant uncertainty if existing missions are sufficient to define resources for design and site selection 11
Mid-Term Envisioned Future: 

Evolve from STMD Demonstrations to Sustained Lunar Surface Operations

STMD Leads Individual Technology 

Development and Flight Demonstrations 

Lunar Infrastructure (LI) Goal: Create an interoperable global lunar 

utilization infrastructure where U.S. industry and international partners can 

maintain continuous robotic and human presence on the lunar surface for a 

robust lunar economy without NASA as the sole user, while accomplishing 

science objectives and testing for Mars.

Complex, MultiElement ISRU 

Operations

Large Scale Power 

Generation & Distribution

ISRU Demo 

& Pilot Plant

ISRU Pilot 

Excavator

Precision Landing 

(SPLICE) & Plume 

Surface Interaction

Cryo Fluid 

Management

TP & Flight 

Demos

Autonomous 

Robotics, 

LIDAR, and 

Navigation

In Situ 

Construction

Demos

Vertical Solar 

Array Technology 

(VSAT)

Power Beaming

40 KWe Nuclear 

Reactor Demo

Regenerative Fuel Cell 

Power Demo

ESDMD Evolves STMD Capabilities into Sustained Artemis 

Base Camp Infrastructure and Commercial Operations

OP-11LM Demonstrate the capability to use commodities produced from planetary surface or in-space resources to 

reduce the mass required to be transported from Earth.

TH-3L Develop system(s) to allow crew to explore, operate, and live on the lunar surface and in lunar orbit with 

scalability to continuous presence; conducting scientific and industrial utilization as well as Mars analog activities. 

Landing Pad & Infrastructure 

Construction

Cryogenic Consumables & 

Propellant Depots

Human and Robotic 

Maintenance & Repair

Offloading, Deployment, and 

Repurposing

Lander, Habitat, and Surface 

Vehicle Servicing 12
In Situ Propellant & Consumable Production 

Phases of Evolution and Use – Need to Plan for Scale-up from the Start

Demonstrate, Build Confidence, Increase Production and Usage

10 to 50 mT Range for Initial Full-Scale Production

Demo

Scale

Pilot

Plant

Crewed Ascent

Vehicle1

Full Descent

Stage1 Lockheed Martin6 Dynetics6

Single Stage/ 

Drop Tanks

Single

Stage

to NRHO2

Human Landing

System -

Starship7

Human

Mars

Transportation3

Commercial

Cis-Lunar

Transportation4 3 Stage Arch to NRHO 2 Stage Single Stage

Timeframe days to months 6 mo - 1 year 1 mission/yr 1 mission/yr per mission per mission per mission per mission per mission per year per year

Demo/System Mass5 10's kg to low 

100's kg

1 mt O2 Pilot

1.3 – 2.5 mt Ice 

Mining

1400 to 

2200 kg

2400 to 

3700 kg

Not Defined Not Defined 29,000 to 

41,000 kg

Amount O2 10's kg 1000 kg 4,000 to 

6,000 kg

8,000 to 

10,000 kg 10,000 kg 33,000 kg 32,000 kg 30,000 to 

50,000 kg

120,000 (NRHO)

440,000 (Earth)

185,000 to 

267,000 kg

400,000 to 

2,175,000 kg

Amount H2

10's gms to 

kilograms

125 kg 1,400 to 

1,900 kg 2,000 kg 7,000 kg Methane Fuel 5,500 to 9,100 kg

Methane Fuel 23,000 to 

33,000 kg

50,000 to 

275,000 kg

Power for O2 in NPS 100's W 5 to 6 KW 20 to 32 KW 40 to 55 KW N/A N/A N/A

Power for H2O in PSR 100's W ~2 KW ~25 KW 14 to 23 KW 150 to 800 KW

Power for H2O to 

O2/H2 in NPS

~6 KW ~48 KWe 55 to 100 KWe

370 to

2,000 KWe

NPS = Near Permanent Sunlight

PSR = Permanently Shadowed Region

1

Estimates from rocket equation and mission assumptions

2

Estimates from J. Elliott, "ISRU in Support of an Architecture for a Self-Sustained Lunar Base "

3

Estimate from C. Jones, "Cis-Lunar Reusable In-Space Transportation Architecture for the Evolvable Mars Campaign"

4

Estimate from "Commercial Lunar Propellant Architecture" study

5

Electrical power generation and product storage mass not included

6

 APL Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium Suppy-Demand Workshop, 9/17/2020

7

 Calculations/Assumptions from Publicly Available Data

§

§

Table uses best available studies and commercial considerations to guide development requirements/FOMs

Table provides rough guide to developers and other surface elements/Strategic Technology Plans for interfacing with ISRU 13
NASA ISRU Capability State of the Art and Current Work

Resource Assessment – Flight Development (TRL 4-6)

§ Multiple instruments under development by SMD and STMD for resource collection and assessment

§ Instruments to be flown on CLPS missions – PRIME-1 and VIPER for lunar ice characterization

PRIME-1

VIPER

Water Mining – Proof of Concept (TRL 2/3)

§ 3 water/ice mining approaches and 6 water extraction technologies examined

§ Challenges: Space Robotic, Break the Ice Lunar

Lunar Auger Dryer 

ISRU (LADI)

Water Capture

Open Reactor 

Feasibility Testing

reroC lamreTh

Oxygen Extraction from Regolith – Mare Regolith (TRL 4/5)

§ Two Hydrogen Reduction and one Carbothermal Reduction systems built and tested at sub-Pilot 

scale; terrestrial operations, non-flight mass/power, mare regolith, days/weeks operation (’08 & ‘10)

§ New work on combined Hydrogen Reduction/Carbothermal Reduction under laboratory conditions 

Oxygen/Metal Extraction from Regolith – Highland Regolith (TRL 2/4)

§ Carbothermal Reduction (TRL 3/5) 

§ Molten Regolith Electrolysis (TRL 3/4); Molten Salt Electrolysis-ESA (TRL 3/4)

§ Ionic Liquid Reduction (TRL 2/3)

§ Low TRL Concepts: Hydrogen Plasma Reduction, Vapor Phase Pyrolysis, Bio-Mining, 

Alkaline Reduction

Carbothermal Reduction

Molten Regolith 

Electrolysis

Lunar Regolith Processing Support

§ Regolith column sealing and Regolith reactor valving

§ Regolith transfer and conveyance

§ Regolith size sorting & mineral beneficiation; Ilmenite beneficiation demonstrated on lunar-g aircraft

§ Solar concentrators and solar energy transmission

§ 9 water electrolysis projects in 3 different types (PEM, SOE, Alkaline)

SOE Water Electrolysis

MMOST Size 

Separation & 

Beneficiation

Vibratory 

Regolith 

Transfer

Water Capture, 

Cleanup, & PEM 

Electrolysis

Large Deployable 

Solar Concentrators

Construction Feedstock (Low TRL: 2-4)

§ Feedstock (blends of simulant and plastic) used in manufacturing & construction lab. demonstrations

§ Mars concrete and soil/binders demonstrated: ACME & 3D Hab, Construction Centennial Challenge

§ Size sorted lunar simulants being used for sintering construction tests

§ 3D printer with simulant feedstock was tested on the ISS in the Additive manufacturing Facility

§ Trash-to-Gas as start to conversion to fuels/plastics 3D Printing w/ Lunar Concrete

14
Lunar Water Mining Gaps

Gap 

Tracked 

by ISRU

Optional: 

expanded use 

or tech 

dependent

Gap 

Tracked 

by AMSC

Gap 

Tracked 

by AM

Gap 

Tracked 

by CFM

Resource 

Assessment

Excavation 

& Delivery

Hoppers/

Transfer

Water 

extraction 

from 

Regolith

H2O 

Separation, 

Capture & 

Transfer

Volatile 

Separation & 

Storage

Products from 

Water/Volatiles

H2O 

Cleanup 

& Storage

Water 

Electrolysis

O2/H2

Drying (if 

required)

Cryogenic 

Liquefaction/

Zeroboiloff 

Storage

403 Instruments 

to measure 

Geotechnical 

regolith 

properties in 

extreme lunar 

environment

440 Instruments 

to characterize 

energy release 

profile of 

volatilizes in 

regolith

439 Detection of 

subsurface ice at 

less than 10's m 

scale

441 Long-duration 

resource 

evaluation in the 

Lunar PSR 

environment 

442 Predictive 

Water Favorability 

Model 

567 In-situ resource extraction & collection in Lunar PSRs 572 Long 

Duration 

Water 

Electrolysis

577 

Regenerative 

gas dryers to 

remove 

water before 

liquefaction

384 Excavation of 

hard regolith/ice 

material AMSC

385 Regolith and 

resource delivery 

system AMSC

386 Mechanisms 

and mobility 

components for 

long-duration 

operations with 

abrasive regolith in 

lunar 

environmental 

conditions AMSC

563 Sensors 

for evaluating 

regolith flow 

during 

transfer

568 Lunar volatile extraction in 

reactors/ enclosures in PSRs

580 ISRU water 

cleanup and 

water quality 

measurement 561 Sensors for 

realtime

monitoring of 

resource status for 

ISRU processing 

operations 

576 Separation & Collection of 

secondary volatile species 

569 Regolith tolerant valves for low 1333 ISRU from Secondary Volatiles 

temperature - lunar PSRs

562 Regolith transfer hardware for 

long duration ISRU operations

560 Hardware for crushing hard/icy 

regolith with minimal resource loss

558 Size sorting of granular regolith 

over long duration operations for 

ISRU.

575 Sensors to monitor ISRU process gases

729 Solar Thermal 

Power for ISRU

583 Lunar Water System Integration and Testing

581 ISRU System modeling

Cryogenic Fluid 

Management

879 

Cryogenic 

Propellant 

Storage CFM

1226 In Situ 

Cryogenic 

Fluid CFM

Liquefaction
O2 from Regolith Gaps

Resource

Assessment

Excavation 

& Delivery

Hoppers,

Prep, 

&Transfer

Oxygen 

Extraction 

from 

Regolith

If O2 is made directly Associated with Chemical 

Reduction Processes

Reactant 

Regeneration

H2O 

Separation 

& Storage

Water 

Electrolysis

O2

Drying 

or 

Cleaning

Cryogenic 

Liquefaction/

Zeroboiloff 

Storage

403 

Instruments to 

measure 

Geotechnical 

regolith 

properties in 

extreme lunar 

environment

404 

Instruments to 

determine local 

regolith 

mineral/chemic

al composition

369 Excavation of 

granular (surface) 

regolith material 

for ISRU 

consumables 

production AMSC

385 Regolith and 

resource delivery 

system AMSC

386 Mechanisms 

and mobility 

components for 

long-duration 

operations with 

abrasive regolith in 

lunar 

environmental 

conditions AMSC

562 Regolith 

transfer 

hardware for 

long duration 

ISRU operations

563 Sensors for 

evaluating 

regolith flow 

during transfer

565 Regolith 

tolerant valves 

for high 

temperatures

564 Oxygen 

Extraction from 

Lunar regolith

566 Metal 

extraction from 

regolith

561 Sensors for 

realtime

monitoring of 

resource status 

for ISRU 

processing 

operations

1280 Regenerative contaminant removal 

systems for ISRU Product/Reagent Gas 

Streams

571 Methane 

production with 

ISRU

572 Long 

Duration 

Water 

Electrolysis

577 

Regenerative 

gas dryers to 

remove 

water before 

liquefaction

558 Size sorting of granular regolith 

over long duration operations for 

ISRU.

559 Mineral separation/ 

beneficiation methods for long term 

ISRU operations

575 Sensors to monitor ISRU process gases

729 Solar 

Thermal Power 

for ISRU

582 Lunar O2 System Integration & Testing

581 ISRU System modeling

Cryogenic Fluid 

Management

879 

Cryogenic 

Propellant 

Storage CFM

1226 In Situ 

Cryogenic 

Fluid CFM

Liquefaction
Metal/Silicon Extraction Gaps Gap Optional: Gap Gap 

Tracked expanded use Tracked Tracked 

by ISRU or tech by AMSC by AM

dependent

Resource 

Assessment

Excavation 

& Delivery

Hoppers,

Prep, 

&Transfer

Metal Extraction 

from Regolith

Oxygen 

Extraction 

from Regolith

Slag/Process Waste Collection

Refinement & Feedstock 

Preparation Application

403 Instruments to 

measure 

Geotechnical 

regolith properties 

in extreme lunar 

environment

404 Instruments to 

determine local 

regolith 

mineral/chemical 

composition

369 Excavation of 

granular (surface) 

regolith material for 

ISRU consumables 

production AMSC

385 Regolith and 

resource delivery 

system AMSC

386 Mechanisms and 

mobility components 

for long-duration 

operations with 

abrasive regolith in 

lunar environmental 

conditions AMSC

434 Basic 

transportation of 

loose regolith within 

an AM system for 

deposition AMSC

558 Size sorting of granular regolith over 

long duration operations for ISRU.

559 Mineral separation/ beneficiation 

methods for long term ISRU operations

581 ISRU System modeling

582 Lunar O2 System Integration & Testing

562 Regolith 

transfer 

hardware for 

long duration 

ISRU operations

563 Sensors for 

evaluating 

regolith flow 

during transfer

565 Regolith 

tolerant valves 

for high 

temperatures

566 Metal extraction 

from regolith

561 Sensors for 

realtime monitoring 

of resource status for 

ISRU processing 

operations

564 Oxygen Extraction 

from Lunar regolith

575 Sensors to 

monitor ISRU process 

gases

729 Solar Thermal 

Power for ISRU

427 ISRU-derived Materials to Usable 

Construction Feedstock AMSC

432 Extrusion of molten materials (regolith or 

metal / regolith blend) AMSC

801 Inability to produce manufacturing 

feedstocks in situ from lunar or Martian 

materials MANU

Advanced 

Manufacturing

644 Lunar surface 

manufacturing and 

outfitting with metals, 

polymers, and 

composites MANU

17
Construction Feedstock Production Gaps Gap Optional: Gap Gap 

Tracked expanded use Tracked Tracked 

by ISRU or tech by AMSC by AM

dependent

Resource 

Assessment

ISRU Bulk 

Feedstock 

Delivery

ISRU derived binders

Trash/Waste 

Processing

Products 

from Water/ 

Volatiles

Enhanced Bulk 

Feedstock

Refined/Prepared 

Construction 

material

Slag/Waste 

from O2/Metal 

Processing

Application

403 Instruments to 

measure 

Geotechnical 

regolith properties 

in extreme lunar 

environment

404 Instruments to 

determine local 

regolith 

mineral/chemical 

composition

385 Regolith and 

resource delivery 

system AMSC

426 In-situ 

Analysis of Input 

Material AMSC

562 Regolith 

transfer hardware 

for long duration 

ISRU operations

558 Size sorting 

of granular 

regolith over long 

duration 

operations for 

ISRU.

563 Sensors for 

evaluating 

regolith flow 

during transfer

581 ISRU System modeling

589 ISRU from 

waste materials

1333 ISRU from 

Secondary 

Volatiles 

561 Sensors for realtime monitoring of resource 

status for ISRU processing operations

432 Extrusion of molten materials (regolith or metal / 

regolith blend) AMSC

667 Extrusion of Polymer/Regolith-based material 

for in-situ additive construction AMSC

428 Development of ISRU-based 'concrete' reinforcement materials. AMSC

433 Extrusion of cementitious (binder plus regolith as aggregate) materials (Water and AMSC

Waterless based)

430 Laser Sintering of 

Regolith AMSC

431 Microwave Sintering of 

Regolith AMSC

427 ISRU-derived Materials 

to Usable Construction 

Feedstock AMSC

Advanced 

Materials 

Structures & 

Construction

669 Polymerregolith AMSC

construction system

Advanced 

Manufacturing

644 Lunar surface 

manufacturing and 

outfitting with metals, 

polymers, and 

composites MANU
Moon to Mars Forward ISRU

§

§

§

Identify, characterize, and quantify environments and 

resources for Science and ISRU

− Quantify concentration and lateral/vertical distribution of 

resources/water/volatiles at multiple locations to provide geological 

context for science-focused theories of resource placement and 

initial mining assessments.

− Test technologies and processes to reduce risk of future extraction/ 

mining systems

Demonstrate ISRU concepts, technologies, & hardware 

applicable to Mars

− ISRU for propellant production with modular/scalable hardware 

(both Moon and Mars require similar production rates)

• Regolith excavation and delivery

• Water and CO2 collection, separation, chemical processing, and 

cleanup technologies

• Liquefy, store, transfer, and fill ascent vehicle propellant tanks

− Surface civil engineering and infrastructure emplacement for repeated 

landing/ascent at same location

Use Moon for operational experience and mission 

validation for Mars

− Pre-deployment & remote activation and operation of ISRU assets 

without crew; especially excavation

− Making and transferring mission consumables (propellants, life 

support, power, etc.)

− Landing crew with ‘empty’ tanks with ISRU propellants already 

made and waiting 

ISRU Technology Synergy

Lunar & Mars Production Synergy

Will use modularity to ensure applicability of hardware to both Moon and Mars ISRU

19
Oxygen (O2) from Mars Atmosphere Gaps

Dust 

Filtration

CO2

collection

Ar & N2

Separation & 

Collection

O2 production 

from CO2

CO/CO2

separation

Cryogenic 

Liquefaction/

Zeroboiloff 

Storage

556 Mars 

atmosphere 

dust filtration

581 ISRU System modeling

1334 Mars ISRU System Level Integration and Testing 

443 Mars 

atmosphere 

collection and 

pressurization 

for ISRU

555 Mars 

atmosphere 

nitrogen & argon 

separation and 

collection

554 Mars Atmosphere carbon dioxide 

separation

575 Sensors to monitor ISRU process gases

570 Carbon Dioxide 

Conversion to Oxygen

578 CO/CO2

Separation and 

Recycling Cryogenic Fluid 

Management

879 

Cryogenic 

Propellant 

Storage CFM

1226 In Situ 

Cryogenic 

Fluid CFM

Liquefaction
Gap Optional: Gap Gap 

Tracked expanded Tracked Tracked 

by ISRU use or tech by AMSC by CFM dependent

O2/Fuel from Mars Atmosphere & Water from 

Regolith/Ice Gaps

H2O 

Resource 

Assessment

Excavation 

& Delivery

Hoppers/

Transfer

H2O 

Extraction 

& Capture

H2O 

Cleanup

Water 

Electrolysis

O2 2 /H Drying 

(if required)

Atmosphere 

Dust 

Filtration

Atmosphere 

CO2 

collection

Methane

production 

Cryogenic 

Liquefaction

Zeroboiloff 

Storage

549 Mars 

Resource Mapping 

and 

Reconnaissance

404 Instruments to 

determine local 

regolith mineral & 

chemical 

composition

442 Predictive 

Water Favorability 

Model

439 Detection of 

subsurface ice at 

less than 10's m 

scale

440 Instruments to 

characterize energy 

release profile of 

volatilizes in 

regolith

551 Mars subsurface ice acquisition and processing for 

water

560 Hardware for crushing 

hard/icy regolith with minimal 

resource loss

558 Size sorting of granular 

regolith over long duration 

operations for ISRU.

563 Sensors for evaluating regolith flow during transfer

562 Regolith transfer hardware for long duration ISRU 

operations

561 Sensors for realtime monitoring of resource status 

for ISRU processing operations

369 Excavation of 

granular (surface) 

regolith material for 

ISRU consumables 

production AMSC

385 Regolith and 

resource delivery 

system AMSC

384 Excavation of hard 

regolith/ice materialAMSC

581 ISRU System modeling

1334 Mars ISRU System Level Integration and Testing 

550 Mars 

surface 

material 

processing 

for water

576 Separation & Collection of 

secondary volatile species 

575 Sensors to monitor ISRU process gases

580 ISRU 

water cleanup 

and water 

quality 

measurement

572 Long 

Duration Water 

Electrolysis

577 

Regenerative gas 

dryers to 

remove water 

before 

liquefaction

556 Mars 

atmosphere 

dust filtration

443 Mars 

atmosphere 

collection and 

pressurization 

for ISRU

554 Mars 

Atmosphere 

carbon dioxide 

separation

578 CO/CO2 

Separation and 

Recycling

571 

Methane 

production 

with ISRU

579 H2/CH4 

Separation 

and 

Recycling

Cryogenic Fluid 

Management

879 

Cryogenic 

Propellant 

Storage CFM

1226 In Situ 

Cryogenic 

Fluid CFM

Liquefaction
Green = Significant Funded Activities

Yellow = Partially Covered; More Required

Red = Limited/No Funded Activities

ISRU Commodity Production Investment Status (1 of 2)

§

§

§

§

Develop Critical Technologies for Lunar Oxygen Extraction

q

q

q

6 different O2 extraction technologies in development – 2 showing significant promise

3 different water electrolysis (PEM, SOE, Alkaline) approaches 

(with Life Support and Regenerative Power)

Interface and internal technologies/functional areas require further investment

Develop Critical Technologies for Lunar Resource Assessment and Water Extraction

q

qx

q

q

q

qx

qx

Significant number of SMD and STMD instrument technologies for resource assessment down to 1 m.; University/Public Challenges 

Need to consider technologies for deeper >3 m assessment for water/volatiles based on some water deposit theories

3 different water mining development approaches – limited test success and cancellation

3 different water electrolysis approaches (with Life Support and Regenerative Power)

Interface and internal technologies/functional areas require further investment

No dedicated robotic polar water/volatile resource assessment surface missions beyond VIPER currently in planning

No dedicated funded effort to develop resource maps for site selection 

Develop Critical Technologies for Manufacturing and Construction Feedstocks/Commodities

q

q

q

qx

Technologies for raw metal/alloy extraction in work as part of O2 extraction; Open solicitations and BIGIdeas Challenge 

Technologies for regolith size sorting, mineral beneficiation, and regolith manipulation in work

Development and evaluation feedstocks to support manufacturing and construction techniques

Limited plastic/binder production from in situ resources; terrestrial and synthetic biology technologies in work for bio-plastic

Evaluate and Develop Integrated Systems for Extended Ground Testing; Tie to Other Discipline Plans

q

q

qx

qx

q

q

NASA and APL performed/performing ISRU system evaluations

Dedicated modeling, evaluation criteria, and Figures of Merit (FOMs) established

Approval/funding for integration and testing of lunar technologies into end-to-end systems required to support ISRU Pilot plant development

Approval/funding for of human-mission scale Mars ISRU technologies into end-to-end system required to support MI-4 

Facilities and simulants to support lunar environmental testing with regolith simulants – Large chamber capability still an issue

Facilities and approach for extended mission analog operation and evaluation ground testing 22
ISRU Commodity Production Investment Status (2 of 2)

§

§

Develop/Fly Resource Assessment & ISRU Demonstrations Missions leading to Pilot Plant operations by 2030

q

q

q

q

x

Orbital missions, PRIME-1, & VIPER funded and under development for launch 

Lunar Trailblazer launch date and mission data later than desired. Actual spacecraft ready for launch in 2022

No clear plan for polar water/volatile resource assessment leading to Base Camp site selection – predicated on success of VIPER

At least one demonstration planned for each ISRU commodity path

Involve Industry/Academia with Goal of Commercial Space Operations at Scale

q

q

q

q

q

q

NIACs, SBIRs, BAAs, ACOs, & TPs led by industry underway for ISRU

STTRs, NIACs, LuSTR, NSTRF, ESI/ECF led by Academia underway for ISRU

Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium – ISRU Focus Group underway and active; Supply/Demand Workshop

Center for the Utilization of Biological Engineering in Space (CUBES) – Completed and new funding being sought

NASA prize competitions and university challenges: BIG Idea, Moon-Mars Ice Prospecting, Break the Ice Lunar, Lunabotics, CO2 Conversion 

Challenge, Space Robotics Challenge

Selection/Competition strategy for ISRU demonstrations and Pilot Plant in work for industry involvement and commercialization

Green = Significant Funded Activities

Yellow = Partially Covered; More Required

Red = Limited/No Funded Activities

23
ISRU EFP - Next Step Priorities 

§ Initiate solicitations with Industry to progress ISRU technologies to Demonstration & Pilot-scale flights

‒ Pursue oxygen and metal extraction demonstrations; delay water mining demonstration until better knowledge is obtained

‒ Provide feedstock technologies and capabilities to support construction demonstrations

‒ Identify and pursue new options/approaches for utilizing significant mission mass/frequency capabilities with HLS providers

§ Initiate Internal and Industry-led System-level integration of ISRU and infrastructure capabilities for Pilot/Full-Scale

‒ Expand ISRU system engineering, modeling, integration, and testing to enable technology and system selections

‒ Begin combining power, excavation, ISRU, storage & transfer, comm/nav, autonomy/avionics, maintenance/crew.

§ Expand Development of Metal/Aluminum Extraction & other Feedstock for Manufacturing & Construction

‒ Continue and expand work on combined oxygen and metal extraction technologies; 

‒ Initiate work focused on metal extraction and processes leading to more pure/refined metals

‒ Consider longer-term interests in mare regolith minerals and resources: Ilmenite, Pyroclastic glasses, KREEP, Solar wind implanted volatiles

‒ Continue and expand construction feedstock/commodity development with in-space manufacturing and construction

‒ Evaluate synthetic biology technologies for bio-mining, bio-plastic, and some commodity feedstocks

§ Initiate Mars ISRU Technology and System Risk Reduction Development and Testing for M2M Objective MI-4

‒ Perform system Integration of existing/near-existing Mars human mission scale hardware and perform testing to reduce the risk for 

architecture insertion

‒ Coordinate evaluation of Mars resources and mission insertion with SMD and ESDMD/SOMD

§ Advance Lunar Polar Water/Volatile Prospecting/Mapping and Technology Development

‒ Coordinate Polar Resource Assessment and Mapping (M2M AS-3) with SMD, ESDMD/SOMD, and industry for mining site selection 

‒ Continue evaluating/developing water mining technologies in parallel with polar resource assessment

§ Initiate Closer-Ties and Coordination with Life Support Systems 

‒ Develop needs/objectives, and perform technology assessment/development for nutrients/food/agriculture feedstocks for sustained presence

‒ Work with life support on oxygen and water cleanup technologies and requirements

‒ Work with life support on conversion of wastes into usable products; eliminate trash dumping

24
Backup: Further Information on ISRU Gaps
ISRU Gap List (1 of 2)

CONTINUED on NEXT PAGE.....

Capability Gap Number Gap Name Mars Moon Water O2R Metal Raw Regolith Atm Other 

ISRU 403 Instruments to measure Geotechnical regolith properties in extreme lunar environment X X X X X X

ISRU 404 Instruments to determine local regolith mineral/chemical composition v X X X v X

ISRU 439 Detection of subsurface ice at less than 10's m scale X X X v

ISRU 440 Instruments to characterize energy release profile of volatilizes in regolith X X X X

ISRU 441 Long-duration resource evaluation in the Lunar PSR environment X X X

ISRU 442 Predictive Water Favorability Model X X X

ISRU 443 Mars atmosphere collection and pressurization for ISRU X X

ISRU 549 Mars Resource Mapping and Reconnaissance X X

ISRU 550 Mars surface material processing for water X X

ISRU 551 Mars subsurface ice acquisition and processing for water X X

ISRU 554 Mars atmosphere carbon dioxide separation X v X

ISRU 555 Mars atmosphere nitrogen/argon separation and collection X v X

ISRU 556 Mars atmosphere dust filtration X v X

ISRU 558 Size sorting of granular lunar regolith over long duration operations for ISRU. X X X X X X X

ISRU 559 Mineral separation/beneficiation methods for long term ISRU operations X X X X v

ISRU 560 Hardware for crushing hard/icy regolith with minimal resource loss X X X

ISRU 561 Sensors for realtime monitoring of resource status for ISRU processing operations X X X X X X X

ISRU 562 Regolith transfer hardware for long duration ISRU operations X X X X X X X

ISRU 563 Sensors for evaluating regolith flow during transfer X X X X X X X

ISRU 564 Oxygen Extraction from Lunar regolith X X v

ISRU 565 Regolith tolerant valves for high temperatures v X X X v

ISRU 566 Metal extraction from regolith X v X

ISRU 567 In-situ resource extraction & collection in Lunar PSRs X X X

ISRU 568 Lunar volatile extraction in reactors/enclosures in PSRs X X X

ISRU 569 Regolith tolerant valves for low temperature - lunar PSRs X X X

ISRU 570 Carbon Dioxide Conversion to Oxygen X X

ISRU 571 Methane production with ISRU X v X v X

ISRU 572 Long Duration Water Electrolysis X X X v v

ISRU 575 Sensors to monitor ISRU process gases X X X X X X X

ISRU 576 Separation & Collection of secondary volatile species X X v X

ISRU 577 Regenerative gas dryers to remove water before liquefaction X X X X
ISRU Gap List (2 of 2)

Capability Gap Number Gap Name Mars Moon Water O2R Metal Raw Regolith Atm Other 

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

ISRU 578 CO/CO2 Separation and Recycling X X

ISRU 579 H2/CH4 Separation and Recycling X v X X

ISRU 580 ISRU water cleanup and water quality measurement X X X v

ISRU 581 ISRU System modeling X X X X X X X X

ISRU 582 Lunar O2 System Integration & Testing X X v

ISRU 583 Lunar Water System Integration and Testing X X v

ISRU 589 ISRU from waste materials and plastics X X X

ISRU 1280 Regenerative contaminant removal systems for ISRU Product/Reagent Gas Streams v X X X v

ISRU 776 Lunar Resource Mapping and Reconnaissance X X v v v

ISRU 836 Lunar Dirty Thermal Vacuum Large Test chambers X X X X X X X

ISRU 862 Mars Dirty Vacuum Large Test chambers X X X X

ISRU 1333 ISRU from Secondary Volatiles X X X v

ISRU 1334 Mars ISRU System Level Integration and Testing X X X

ISRU 729 Solar Thermal Power for ISRU X v X X v