TheMurku t1_j6w7qxy wrote on February 2, 2023 at 9:11 AM

Reply to comment by StygaiAsshai in Investigations reveal more evidence that Mimas is a stealth ocean world by entered_bubble_50

Why would we need to ship it?

Hydrogen + Carbon Dioxide put through the Sabatier process produce Water and Methane.

StygaiAsshai t1_j6xpo5v wrote on February 2, 2023 at 5:09 PM

Im talking about just going to the moons as gas stations.

TheMurku t1_j6xqcld wrote on February 2, 2023 at 5:13 PM

'supplies' made me think you were referring to Life Support.

Apologies.

Seeing 'getting to orbit is halfway to anywhere' in Solar System terms what you suggest is absolutely the goal. It's called 'in-situ resource utilization', or ISRU. Water as a Reaction Mass (either as itself in NTRS or as a source of hydrogen) is the core material ISRU will seek.

danielravennest t1_j6xzv3i wrote on February 2, 2023 at 6:12 PM

ISRU is NASA's obfuscation of "space mining", because it would confuse congresspeople who come from mining states. Actual mining engerineers just call it space mining.