Assessing the Feasibility of a Martian ISRU Propellant Plant

In-situ resource utilization (ISRU) is the process of extracting local resources to provide consumables for propulsion and regenerate resources for life support systems rather than transporting consumables from Earth. Numerous multidisciplinary technologies are required to interact and synergize to develop efficient ISRU systems. Cost-effective techniques to extract consumables from the environment is a critical element of the supply chain that enables a sustained presence on the Martian surface. To assess the feasibility of a full-scale Martian ISRU architecture, the Systems Engineering and Integration (SE&I) ISRU Modeling and Analysis (SIMA) project developed the Mission Analysis and Integration Tool (MAIT), a modeling tool capable of calculating the mass, power, and volume requirements of an ISRU system based on location, production requirements, Concept of Operations (ConOps), and environmental conditions. This tool follows digital engineering methodologies to create a standardized logical framework that integrates subsystem models created by government, industry, and/or academia into an ISRU end-to-end system architecture. This allows for the interactions between all subsystems (and related systems such as power and transportation) within an ISRU process to be parametrically assessed and optimized rather than each subsystem independently analyzed.