What if mining the Moon could eventually make space exploration less expensive?
The European Space Agency has tapped a Polish startup to study whether resources already on the Moon could be worth extracting.
Water, oxygen and construction materials could potentially be used there instead of being launched from Earth.
According to the report, researchers will examine the entire process, from identifying mineral deposits and extracting resources to processing, storing and transporting them to customers.
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Researchers will also look at helium-3, a rare isotope that could potentially be brought back and sold on Earth.
But first, they have to determine whether Moon mining could actually turn a profit.
"Helium-3 is a special case. Its high value on Earth could justify the cost of bringing it back from the Moon," MIRORES CEO and co-founder Jakub Ciążela said in a company statement. "That is why our study examines not only the cost of extraction, but also where the customer is located and how much they would be willing to pay for the delivered product."
