TL;DR: LCROSS confirmed water ice in Cabeus crater. LRO data suggests extensive ice deposits across south pole PSRs. This is the single most valuable near-term space resource, enabling propellant production,
LCROSS confirmed water ice in Cabeus crater. LRO data suggests extensive ice deposits across south pole PSRs. This is the single most valuable near-term space resource, enabling propellant production, life support, and radiation shielding.
Location
Permanently shadowed craters (Cabeus, Shackleton, Haworth, Shoemaker)
Estimated Quantity
Hundreds of millions of tonnes
Extraction Method
Thermal mining / sublimation capture
Economic Value
Critical enabler - worth $10M+ per tonne in orbit as propellant