Comparison of material sources and customer locations for commercial space resource utilization

Space resource utilization (SRU) can be a catalyst for growing space economy. Significant reductions in cost, launch mass and risk human robotic activities beyond Earth achieved. Commercial entities will have the opportunity to generate revenue through economic development, allowing decreased dependency on governmental agencies exploration of space. A wide variety materials found planetary small solar system bodies, which are potentially great use customers This paper conducts comparison commercial potential SRU surface Moon, Mars, representative near-Earth asteroid main-belt asteroid. In particular, mining water considered electrolysed into hydrogen oxygen using power. Coupled trajectory optimization then results minimum specific cost deliver propellant (LOX/LH2) from these bodies number customer locations. Customers or orbit around Earth, Mars investigated, along with Psyche, large metallic Using model that considers technology maturation allow current aviation-like costs used development manufacturing, missions optimized. Results show low-Earth orbit, should instead launching water-derived directly Earth. asteroids shown an attractive location mining, processing delivering quantity LOX/LH2 at low vicinity including nearby collinear Lagrange points. Exceptions who, together better off same surface. sensitivity analysis shows that, all investigated except there available resources lower than most ideal Only once been depleted, transporting back is worth considering.