Don’t Forget About… (Factoring in Everything for Successful Mars Exploration): In Situ Resource Utilization

Abstract: Using In Situ Resources means reduced transportation requirements from Earth and a larger source of materials than might otherwise be available. Of the many in situ resources available on Mars, perhaps the most valuable is water. One facet of NASA’s current Mars Exploration Program is a search for the locations and quantities of water in various forms: Subsurface liquid water aquafers; Surface and subsurface water ice and icy soils – Lineated Valley Fill (LVF), Lobate Debris Aprons (LDAs), Co…