Pilbara test for mission on the moon
WA’S Pilbara could be used as a test landscape for remote mining on the moon.
Mining on Earth’s satellite and indeed planet Mars using autonomous robots is a pathway to prepare the way for future crewed missions, and potentially even human habitation.
Australia is at the centre of the world’s most advanced mining industry innovation, and is looking to take to its know-how out of this world.
According to CSIRO’s digital facilities and collections executive director Dave Williams, Australia can bring its geoscience and mining expertise to the table – particularly in the area of remote and automated mining – to prepare the way for crewed missions to the moon, and conceivably to other planets in our solar system.
“There are massive logistical issues around humans going to the moon, such as ensuring adequate supply of water, food, radiation proof shelter, medical support and setting up sustainable life systems,” he says.
“That’s why an un-crewed mission – with robotics used to explore and test feasibility – is an attractive option in the first instance, because it can potentially do some of the work without people.”
Pointing to WA as an example, Dr Williams said a lot of the mining activity in the Pilbara is being managed remotely from Perth, and that a system similar to it could be set up to deliver the requisite tools and equipment ahead of a crewed expedition.
“Australia is looking at this, because I believe we are world leaders in remote mining. It isn’t saying we have all the answers, but we are definitely ahead of the curve,” Dr Williams said.
“There are logistical support areas where we could be, as a country, a player in the global system, and that’s one of the challenges space agencies, including our Australian Space Agency, and CSIRO are looking closely at.”
Much of the technology at play in remote ‘terrestrial’ mining operations can be applied to space despite the added challenge that comes with operating in an extra-terrestrial environment, such as lower gravity.
The transition point or ‘gateway’ solution is the one favoured by NASA, and the idea behind it is that before sending any humans back to the moon supplies and equipment could be sent ahead, either to the lunar surface or to an orbiting space station. In the future, it can also provide a springboard onto Mars and into the wider solar system.
Dr Williams said this isn’t necessarily a negative factor.
“In terms of using the Moon as a base for further exploration, you can see a clear advantage of a transition point in terms of power to payload mass for launch compared to our Earth,” he said.
“These, of course, need to be part of a balanced decision across all parameters.
“Just as the lunar rover could be driven on the Moon with less power, and an astronaut can jump up and down with less power, materials are also easier to move with less power. In fact, it might actually be a bonus.
“At the same time, the direct approach to the Moon may be beneficial if you want to get heavy lift equipment there, dropping it off with no intention of returning it.”
So what role would remote mining systems play in this situation? Not everything can be brought from Earth, as more mass means more energy is required to escape Earth’s gravity, in addition to whatever support systems will be needed to keep humans alive on the journey.
To minimise the logistical stress placed on an Earth take-off, one approach would be to take enough to get to the Moon and establish the base, with the lunar minerals and resources then being used to the maximum to replenish supplies and for return journeys.
And this is where Australia’s remote mining systems experience could play a significant role, by essentially laying the ground work for the development of these resources and managing them remotely from Earth through surface or satellite based sensors, and robotic systems.
Water may already have been discovered at the poles but new deposits are nevertheless important.
“There are a lot of robotics you need for moon based survival and Australia is good at it. And if you are looking to grow crops on the moon at some stage – which we will inevitably try to – the dry agriculture capability of Australia is good as well. We again are the leaders,” Dr Williams said.
What makes these ideas worthy of consideration are the advances in data and sensor analysis, which have given unprecedented levels of detail to geoscientists to better characterise resources, and such technology could be applied in a lunar context to determine particular types of mineralisation containing useful materials.