In-Space Manufacturing
To further venture into outer space, in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) would be required, given the logistical and financial constraints of transporting material out of orbit. Space debris and damaged vehicle parts could be combined with lunar regolith to create components at the point-of-need.
Publications
- J. J. Lopez et al., “Local Resource Utilization of Lunar Regolith for Manufacturing at the Point-of-Need of Metal Matrix Composites,” in Earth and Space 2022, pp. 298-307, 2022.
- P. G. Allison et al., “Point-of-Need Innovations: Metal Additive Manufacturing and Repair,” Advanced Materials & Processes, vol. 181, no. 1, pp. 12–20, Feb. 2023.