Space Resources Week 2024: Enabling a sustainable future for space exploration
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The upcoming Space Resources Week 2024 is set to highlight the importance of resource utilisation in space exploration and humanity’s search for sustainable solutions beyond our planet. Set to take place in Luxembourg on March 25-27, this event will provide a platform for experts and industry leaders to share insights, explore synergies, and forge meaningful collaborations in the dynamic field of space resources.
The sixth edition of Space Resources Week aims to bring together space agencies, thought leaders, scientists, and business visionaries in a multidisciplinary forum. Organised by the European Space Resources Innovation Centre (ESRIC), in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA), the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA), and the Luxembourg Institute for Science and Technology (LIST), the event seeks to set priorities, strengthen coordinated activities, and explore new developments for a sustainable space resources architecture.
The profound potential of space resources has been in the limelight in recent years as industry has come to recognise the myriad of solutions this area of study can offer. Resources extracted from the lunar and Martian surfaces, such as raw regolith, oxygen, metals, water, and volatiles can be critical for applications ranging from propellant production to radiation shielding, landing infrastructure, life support, and even the in-space manufacturing of parts, tools, and equipment beyond our planet’s confines. As the necessity and feasibility of sustainable space exploration become increasingly evident, the utilisation of space resources emerges as a key enabler for long-term human presence in space.
In-situ resource utilisation (ISRU)
One of the pivotal themes of this year’s conference is the concept of in-situ resource utilisation (ISRU), which represents a paradigm shift in space exploration. ISRU can allow astronauts and space missions to rely on locally-sourced materials rather than solely on resources transported from Earth, laying the foundation for a resilient and sustained human presence on celestial bodies such as the Moon and Mars. This approach can not only reduce mission costs and logistical complexities but also has the potential to minimise the carbon footprint and environmental impact of space exploration on our planet.
The European Space Agency’s ambitions for space resources utilisation
The European Space Agency (ESA), and particularly ESA’s Business in Space Growth Network (BSGN), plays a central role in advancing research, technology, and commercial partnerships to realise the European ambitions in space resource utilisation. Beginning with the Moon, ESA’s commitment to sustainable exploration takes shape through collaborative initiatives and cutting-edge technologies which will unlock the vast potential of lunar resources and pave the way for a new era of space exploration and discovery.
ESA has recently launched the BSGN Space Resources Industry Accelerator, the world’s first business accelerator entirely dedicated to space resources and the lunar economy. Led by ESRIC, its mission is to support scale-ups with proven successful business models for space resources-enabled applications, aiming to nurture the future leaders of lunar exploration.
Space Resources Week 2024 will serve as a forum for the community to showcase recent discoveries, cutting-edge technology, and success stories in the commercial space sector. From groundbreaking research to innovative technologies, the event will shed light on the collective efforts and aspirations of the global space community to advance the exploration and utilisation of space resources.
