Systems and apparatus are disclosed for mining the permafrost at the landing sites using radiant gas dynamic mining procedures. The systems can comprise a rover vehicle with an integrated large area dome for cryotrapping gases released from the surface and multi-wavelength radiant heating systems to provide adjustable heating as a function of depth. Various antenna arrays and configurations are disclosed, some of which can cooperate for a specific aiming or targeting effect.

Industrial robotic platforms are described. The robotic platform includes a universal platform configured to attach to interchangeable task-specific tooling systems and mobility systems. The robots may be mining robots, with a mining-specific tooling system attached to the universal platform, and configured for mining tasks. The platform is modular and may be used for other industrial applications and/or robot types, such as construction, satellite swarms, fuel production, disaster recovery, communications, remote power, and others. The robot may be included in a swarm or colony as part of an overall autonomous architecture. The robot may be part of an architecture having a colony or remote control center that communicates with and monitors the robots.

A vapor collection system that can be used at an extra-terrestrial body is envisioned to collect target gaseous atoms and molecules that are floating around in a shielded environment at a pressure at or less than 1?10.sup.?5 bar. The shielded environment is defined within a cover that rests atop granular soil, which in one embodiment is regolith. The cover comprises a cover body that extends from a rim to a cover top. The shielded environment is not in communication with an outside environment via the cover body. The mining arrangement further comprises a blade. a heat source and a gas collection surface. The blade extends from the rim and is configured to penetrate the granular soil. The heat source, which is disposed in the cover is configured to heat the granular soil. The gas collection surface is disposed in the shielded environment and is configured to maintain a temperature below 100 degrees Kelvin.

A vapor collection system that can be used at an extra-terrestrial body is envisioned to collect target gaseous atoms and molecules that are floating around in a shielded environment at a pressure at or less than 1?10.sup.?5 bar. The shielded environment is defined within a cover that rests atop granular soil, which in one embodiment is regolith. The cover comprises a cover body that extends from a rim to a cover top. The shielded environment is not in communication with an outside environment via the cover body. The mining arrangement further comprises a blade. a heat source and a gas collection surface. The blade extends from the rim and is configured to penetrate the granular soil. The heat source, which is disposed in the cover is configured to heat the granular soil. The gas collection surface is disposed in the shielded environment and is configured to maintain a temperature below 100 degrees Kelvin.

A system and method for space resource mining and maneuvering may utilize at least one linear transformer driver, a selective ionization plasma pyrolysis extractor, and at least one pulsed plasma thruster.

A system and method for space resource mining and maneuvering may utilize at least one linear transformer driver, a selective ionization plasma pyrolysis extractor, and at least one pulsed plasma thruster.

The system extracts water from lunar regolith and includes a regolith intake having a digging bucket that collects lunar regolith soil and a gravel separator that separates and discharges gravel and passes a mixture of ice-regolith powder having ice grains that are about 10-100 microns along the conveyor. A pneumatic separator receives the ice-regolith powder and pneumatically splits the ice-regolith powder into streams of different sized lithic fragments and ice particles per the ratio of inertial force and aerodynamic drag force of the lithic fragments and ice particles. Each split stream may include a magnetic separator that separates further the magnetic and paramagnetic lithic fragments from ice particles to discharge up to 80 percent of lithic fragments to slag.

The system extracts water from lunar regolith and includes a regolith intake having a digging bucket that collects lunar regolith soil and a gravel separator that separates and discharges gravel and passes a mixture of ice-regolith powder having ice grains that are about 10-100 microns along the conveyor. A pneumatic separator receives the ice-regolith powder and pneumatically splits the ice-regolith powder into streams of different sized lithic fragments and ice particles per the ratio of inertial force and aerodynamic drag force of the lithic fragments and ice particles. Each split stream may include a magnetic separator that separates further the magnetic and paramagnetic lithic fragments from ice particles to discharge up to 80 percent of lithic fragments to slag.

A vapor collection system that can be used at an extra-terrestrial body is envisioned to collect target gaseous atoms and molecules that are floating around in a shielded environment at a pressure at or less than 1?10.sup.?5 bar. The shielded environment is defined within sidewalls and in some cases is defined within a cover. A condensation surface in the shielded environment is maintained at a temperature between 2? Kelvin and 100? Kelvin to collect the target gas that is floating around, which condenses on the condensation surface as a liquid. A collection receptacle at the condensation surface collects the liquid. A heating element in the shielded environment is made to heat and release the target gas from minerals at or beyond the rim. The gas floats around in the shielded environment.

An exploration method includes: a step of exploring a natural resource on a satellite, a minor planet, or a planet; a step of acquiring the natural resource detected by the exploration; and a step of storing the acquired natural resource.