Building on the legacy of Earth-observing Landsat satellites, a new NASA initiative is exploring how similar mineral mapping technology could be applied to other worlds in the solar system. The project, dubbed “Interworld Slingshot Resource Surveys,” received early-stage funding to determine if a spacecraft could scout for resources from a distance.
The concept targets potential lunar bases planned for the 2030s, where the U.S. aims to secure access to helium-3 and other minerals ahead of international competitors like China. By identifying valuable deposits before landing, the mission could significantly reduce risks and costs associated with establishing a permanent human presence on the Moon.
Pablo Sobron, a research scientist at the SETI Institute and principal investigator for the study, emphasized the economic necessity of the technology. “The thing most likely to stop space mining may be that we cannot afford to prove there is anything worth mining,” Sobron said. He noted that landing in the wrong location could jeopardize an entire exploration program, as companies cannot sustain endless failed attempts.
The study focuses on testing Raman spectroscopy from orbit or during a flyby. This technique uses laser-reflected light to analyze molecular structures and determine mineral composition—a method already employed by NASA’s Perseverance rover on Mars. However, adapting it for remote sensing presents significant challenges due to the weakness of the signal; only about one in 10 trillion photons undergoes Raman scattering.
While Sobron’s previous tests achieved successful readings at distances of approximately 120 meters, the new study aims to extend this range to between 30 and 50 kilometers (19 to 31 miles). The proposed spacecraft would be small enough to survey multiple destinations, including the Moon, a near-Earth asteroid, and Mars’s moon Phobos, within a single mission.
The Interworld Slingshot Resource Surveys project was selected for a Phase 1 grant from NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program, receiving up to $175,000 over nine months. NIAC is known for funding high-risk, high-reward ideas, though few have historically progressed beyond the conceptual stage. A recent success story includes the SNAPPY CubeSat, which launched earlier this year aboard a SpaceX vehicle.
If the Phase 1 study demonstrates feasibility, the team will seek Phase 2 funding to further develop the technology over two years.
Scaling Raman from 120 meters to 50 kilometers is a staggering leap. Fingers crossed the signal strength holds up out there.
It’s about time we map resources before landing! The cost of failed missions is the real killer for space mining viability.
Helium-3 competition with China really drives the urgency here. Hope this doesn’t get shelved after Phase 1 like most NIAC grants.
One in ten trillion photons… no pressure on the optics team. But a multi-destination spacecraft sounds incredibly efficient for the budget.