To enable a long-term presence of humans in space, it is essential to use extraterrestrial raw materials to reduce the need for transporting resources or produced materials from Earth. In recent years, a lot of research has been conducted on different ISRU processes, such as regolith excavation, mineral processing and the extraction of oxygen using metallurgical processes. However, it is not sufficient to just focus on a single process but also to focus on how the different processes interact. Therefore, RWTH Aachen’s Integrated Conceptual Design presents a novel concept for the production of oxygen and high-quality metal materials. To meet the challenges of mining in space, selective mining is used to provide the best possible blend based on the original material of the deposit. This process is followed by mineral processing to provide a high-quality ilmenite-rich concentrate, the input material for metallurgical processes. Using the novel MOSARI technique, consisting of molten salt electrolysis and metallothermic reduction, oxygen and metal materials can be recovered. Furthermore, this represents a zero-waste approach for the complete utilization of the material.

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For the scaling process to be successful, it is important to first detect the loose rock. Even today, this task is mainly performed by experienced personnel. This leads to opportunities for increased potential to use sensor driven digital assistance systems. This paper presents a review and analysis of sensor-based loose rock detection methods considering the specific conditions of testing and use. The investigations can be classified into three categories based on their respective sensor technology approach. The opportunities for automating the scaling process highly depend on the method used. If scaling is conducted manually, the pre-entry examination could be automated. For the automation of the entire process, the use of machinery is more beneficial. Long wave infrared (LWIR) cameras or visual techniques have a great potential. However, in the case of LWIR, innovative methods for generating a sufficient heat flow between air and rock need to be developed in future.

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