Affordable, Rapid Bootstrapping of the Space Industry and Solar System Civilization

Abstract

Advances in robotics and additive manufacturing have become game-changing for the prospects of space industry. It has become feasible to bootstrap a self-sustaining, self-expanding industry at reasonably low cost. Simple modeling was developed to identify the main parameters of successful bootstrapping. This indicates that bootstrapping can be achieved with as little as 12 metric tons (MT) landed on the Moon during a period of about 20 years. The equipment will be teleoperated and then transitioned to full autonomy so the industry can spread to the asteroid belt and beyond. The strategy begins with a sub-replicating system and evolves it toward full self-sustainability (full closure) via an in situ technology spiral. The industry grows exponentially due to the free real estate, energy, and material resources of space. The mass of industrial assets at the end of bootstrapping will be 156 MT with 60 humanoid robots, or as high as 40,000 MT with as many as 100,000 humanoid robots if faster manufacturing is supported by launching a total of 41 MT to the Moon. Within another few decades with no further investment, it can have millions of times the industrial capacity of the United States. Modeling over wide parameter ranges indicates this is reasonable, but further analysis is needed. This industry promises to revolutionize the human condition.

Enabling homeland security missions with in-space 3D printing

“…Tethers Unlimited [27] has also worked on 3D printing's use in spacecraft fabrication. Looking even further down the proverbial road, Metzger, et al [28] argue that the technology has prospective utility for developing industry throughout the solar system and beyond.…”

Near Earth asteroid resource utilisation for large in-orbit reflectors

“…In this way the production and transport of bulk metals back to Earth orbit could be achieved using a modest initial investment in mass delivered to Earth escape. Other scenarios for bootstrapping large-scale industrialisation of space using robotics and automation have been considered with an initial seed mass as low as 12 tonnes [13].…”

Space development and space science together, an historic opportunity

“…There is no reason to have Stage 1 except for the fact that Stage 2 is not yet funded, so we must take practical steps to help convince policymakers to begin Stage 2. [1] and will be briefly summarize here. We now know that the Moon and Near Earth Asteroids have all the raw resources necessary for an industrial supply chain (e.g., lunar ice containing hydrogen, carbon, and nitrogen, and the regolith containing silicon, metals, and calcium) [4][5][6][7][8][9][10].…”