Nanotechnology advancements are crucial for solving
the challenges of space exploration and habitation.
The Race
to Space
Colonization
Expansion of the human race into space will require conquering new and unique
problems. Obstacles that were
overcome in early space exploration
have already made invaluable contributions to today’s technologies and
helped to tackle problems we have
faced planet-side.
Our present recycling programs,
commercial and government-man-dated, manage only the most
easily recyclable materials of paper,
aluminum, steel and plastics. The
remainder of our trash enters our
landfills and unfortunately, our
landscapes, waterways and oceans.
These simplistic processes will be
inadequate for future space exploration, especially long-term habitation.
An entirely different approach to
recycling and reclamation will be required–extremely efficient resource
management of water, air, organics
and inorganics. Scientists must
approach these challenges with an
eye toward 100 percent solutions.
The Netherland’s “Mars One”
project plans to ship rovers, land-
ers, water, supplies and astronauts
in one-way trips to Mars. While the
success of this project will certainly
demonstrate the incredible potential
of space exploration, it isn’t a sus-
tainable model for humanity’s jour-
neys to the outer planets and the
stars. In the long run, excavating,
processing and smelting refined
metals on Earth and then launching
these materials into space will be
cost-prohibitive and impractical.
Intelligent material repurposing,
which will foster long-term space
habitation, opens the door for some
of our most nascent, 21st century technologies. As an example,
consider an alternative method of
creating “local” housing material,
one that may offer a role for nanotech. This promising field has
already garnered a line item in the
President’s FY 2015 budget of
nearly $1.5 billion for the National
Nanotechnology Initiative, which
includes an estimated $36 million
for nano-manufacturing.
Minerals
Our moon–and most likely other
moons and planets–comprises a
host of useful minerals, containing
a variety of elements. Moon rock
analysis has identified quantities
of pyroxene, feldspar, olivine and
ilmenite. These minerals are found
in various forms: pyroxene, olivine,
