How to Mine the Moon: The ISRU Process
The ISRU Process: Turning Regolith into Rocket Fuel
- The Raw Material (Regolith): Concrete-hard lunar soil in permanently shadowed craters containing ~5% water ice.
- The Processor (Extraction): Thermal and chemical units that sublimate ice and split water molecules.
- The Product (Fuel & Air): Liquid Oxygen for breathing/combustion and Liquid Hydrogen for propulsion.
Visual Intelligence by FactsFigs.com
NASA Artemis / Colorado School of Mines / ESA
Data Source: NASA Artemis
Overview
In 2026, the strategy for space exploration shifted from 'Backpacking' (bringing everything with you) to 'Homesteading' (living off the land). This is ISRU: In-Situ Resource Utilization.
The goal is simple but difficult: harvest the billions of tons of ancient water ice frozen in the shadows of the Lunar South Pole and crack it into Hydrogen and Oxygen, decoupling humanity from Earth's gravity well.
Yield Rate
Average water-ice concentration in polar 'Cold Traps' required for viability.
Fast Facts
- Sublimation 150 °C Temperature required to flash frozen ice directly into vapor in a vacuum.
- Value $ 10000 / kg Cost saved for every kilogram of water *mined* on the Moon versus *launched* from Earth.
- Output 89 % Mass Percentage of water mass that becomes Oxygen after electrolysis (Hydrogen is 11%).
- Shock 300 °C The thermal shock equipment must survive, moving from -230°C shadow to +120°C processing.
- Energy 40 kW Continuous power required to produce 1 metric ton of propellant per year.
1. The Harvest (Excavation)
Mining on Earth is heavy; mining on the Moon must be light. Operations target 'Permanently Shadowed Regions' (PSRs) at -230°C. Autonomous rovers use percussive drills to break the concrete-hard regolith, anchoring themselves to fight the low gravity.
2. The Refinery (Sublimation & Splitting)
The frozen soil is dumped into a 'Thermal Wader' heated to 150°C. In the vacuum, ice flashes directly to vapor (sublimation), leaving the dust behind. This clean vapor is then electrified (electrolysis) to split it into Hydrogen (fuel) and Oxygen (oxidizer).
3. The Gas Station (Liquefaction)
The gases are cooled to cryogenic temperatures (-253°C for Hydrogen) using massive radiators to dump heat into space. The result is a 'Depot' in orbit, allowing starships to refill their tanks and carry heavier payloads to Mars.
Conclusion
ISRU is the distinct technology that separates a 'Flag and Footprints' mission from a civilization.
If we can mine the Moon, we can refuel the solar system.
Data Source and Attribution
NASA ArtemisColorado School of MinesESA
This analysis aggregates data from NASA's Lunar Surface Sustainability Concepts, the Colorado School of Mines Center for Space Resources, and ESA's PROSPECT mission architecture.
Disclaimer: All calculated indices are based on internal FactsFigs methodologies and aggregated analysis. This content does not claim to represent an official global standard and is intended for educational purposes only.
Visual generated via FactsFigs AI Engine (v1.0).
2026-02-03
