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A stay on the moon can be sustainable with help from mining - NASA's Robert P. Mueller

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(Kitco News) - There are lots of resources and lots of energy in space to sustain life beyond Earth, said Robert P. Mueller, senior technologist at NASA.

In February Mueller spoke to Kitco at Mines And Money Miami.

In November NASA made a test flight around the moon, which kicked off the U.S. space agency's Artemis exploration program. The goal is to establish a long-term lunar base, but that presence will require mining, noted Mueller.

"The last time we went to the moon, it was not sustainable," said Mueller. "We stayed for a few
days, but we had to bring everything with us. The logistics of going to the moon—they are just not sustainable. We have to use the resources that are on the moon."

"We have all the things we need in space to survive, but we have to mine them—extract the resources and then turn the resources into something useful. [There are] lots of resources and lots of energy in space."

Coverage of Mines And Money Miami was sponsored by Snowline Gold.


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