Our current research and development areas are focused on the following In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) processes:
- Asteroid Mining – In particular the In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) mining on Carbonaceous Chondrite asteroids using robotic spacecraft and simplified processing to produce water and Co2, to use water as fuel to return to Earth orbit, where water and CO2 can be used to produce propellants as required in manned orbital processing stations around Earth. Additional asteroid regolith bought back can also be used to make metals and subsequent structures in space, significantly larger and cheaper then could be launched from Earth.
- Lunar Mining – In particular the In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) of polar ice, regolith and carbon dioxide makeup from Earth to produce molded wrought iron beams, Ti/Mg/Al alloy, plus oxygen, hydrogen and water.
- Mars Mining – In particular the In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) of atmospheric carbon dioxide, ice or poly-hydrated sulpate ores and raw regolith to produce molded wrought iron beams, plus oxygen, hydrogen and water.
There are multiple other technologies currently in research that may in the future be actively used in In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) processes, including plasma separation (p214 of link), the FCC Cambrige process, direct methanol production via catalytic synthesis using carbon monoxide and hydrogen, direct hydrogen peroxide production via catalytic synthesis using oxygen and hydrogen, plus many others. Etiam Engineering is experienced in proposals, development and reporting for studies funded by NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC), NASA SBIR, EU Horizon H2020, plus others.
Also be sure to download our Capabilities Statement and Quality Policy (which includes our Mission and Values).