4<\/p>\n Moon mining could become a multibillion-dollar industryCredit: SWNS 4<\/p>\n RASSOR uses spinning drums to scoop up loose moon-like soil from the surfaceCredit: SWNS<\/p>\n RASSOR’s counter-rotating drums dig up simulated moon dust to extract regolith, the loose, fragmental material found on the Moon’s surface.<\/p>\n The opposing motion of the drums helps RASSOR grip the surface in low-gravity environments like the Moon<\/a> or Mars.<\/p>\n “With this unique capability, RASSOR can traverse the rough surface to dig, load, haul, and dump regolith that could later be broken down into hydrogen, oxygen, or water-resources critical for sustaining human presence,” NASA said Tuesday. <\/p>\n The space agency is using the foundation of RASSOR’s development to inform IPEx (In-Situ Resource Utilisation Pilot Excavator), a newer vehicle being prepared for a potential IPEx is still in the advanced development and testing phase.<\/p>\n Improvements on RASSOR with refinements in scale, modularity, and mission capability are being made to support future lunar resource extraction missions.<\/p>\n Mining the Moon is shaping up to be a high-stakes space race, with billions of dollars and future survival on the line.<\/p>\n NASA’s<\/a> Jet Propulsion Laboratory has pegged the value of untapped lunar resources in the hundreds of billions.<\/p>\n Those include frozen water, which could support life or be converted into rocket fuel for deep space missions.<\/p>\n The surface is also believed to hold rare earth metals used in electronics and defense tech. <\/p>\n ‘Extreme’ Nasa space car will let lunar drivers complete daring south pole roadtrips<\/p>\n But the Moon’s most promising payload might be helium-3- a clean, non-radioactive isotope that could fuel future nuclear reactors. <\/p>\n The substance was fetching around $2,500 per liter last year, according to the Edelgas Group.<\/p>\n “That’s a huge market, in principle, and something is coming along very fast,” Martin Elvis, a senior astrophysicist at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, told Business Insider<\/a>. <\/p>\n Elvis warned that with no strict global rules, the Moon is becoming a lawless frontier. <\/p>\n What is Moon Mining?<\/p>\n Moon mining refers to the extraction and utilization of natural resources found on the Moon’s surface and subsurface. These resources include water ice, helium-3, rare earth elements, and regolith (lunar soil), which can be used to support lunar habitation, generate energy, and facilitate further space exploration. <\/p>\n Scientists at NASA and the US Geological Survey are using their Earthly expertise to identify and catalog resources on the celestial body to look for valuable materials – from minerals and crushed rock that can be used to make dwellings and equipment, to ice that can be turned into drinking water and even rocket fuel.<\/p>\n Key resources of interest include:<\/p>\n He compared the current push for space mining to a \u201cWild West,\u201d where speed and land grabs beat cooperation and sustainability.<\/p>\n CHINA’S RACE TO MOON<\/p>\n NASA, China<\/a>, and several private firms are racing to claim pieces of the lunar surface in the coming decade. <\/p>\n But some scientists worry that quick-and-dirty extraction could wipe out decades of astronomical opportunity.<\/p>\n Lunar zones rich in resources also happen to be gold mines for science.<\/p>\n The far side of the Moon offers an ultra-quiet location perfect for peering into the early universe. <\/p>\n Its permanently shadowed craters, ideal for water collection, are also key studying the birth of galaxies. <\/p>\n Elvis said even minor human activity, like mining vibrations, could disrupt delicate instruments and lunar research.<\/p>\n “Mining for water is probably the worst,” he said.<\/p>\n Some protections do exist, such as the Artemis Accords, a non-binding agreement from 2020 signed by over 50 nations. <\/p>\n The pact permits space mining if it follows the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and is done \u201csafely and sustainably.\u201d<\/p>\n But Robert Massey, deputy director of the Royal Astronomical Society, said that\u2019s not enough.<\/p>\n He argued that future space rules must prioritize science alongside profits.<\/p>\n “There should be more stakeholders than just the wealthy and companies that want to do this,” Massey said.<\/p>\n He called for planetary \u201cparks\u201d and preservation zones to shield key lunar sites from commercial drilling.<\/p>\n![\"RASSOR](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/simulated-lunar-surface-rassor-s-1000456775.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"NASA's](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/simulated-lunar-surface-rassor-s-1000376637.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
technology demonstration mission on the Moon.<\/p>\n\n
![\"Illustration](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/pilot-excavator-moon-vehicle-based-1000376585.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"NASA's](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/simulated-lunar-surface-rassor-s-1000376625.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n