Six Hypotheses for Accelerating the Lunar Economy

Abstract

Based on technical work and development conducted under the LunA-10 study, I have identified six hypotheses where, if revolutionary improvements in technology can be made, I assess that a direct acceleration to the fielding of a lunar economy is likely to occur. In this short paper, I explain these six hypotheses, and recommend that these topics be focused on for technical development in the near-future by government and commercial stakeholders. These areas are: (1) Centralized thermal rejection and generation as a service, (2) Widespread orbital lunar prospecting and surveying, (3) Creating large silicon wafers for microsystems on the Moon, (4) Biomanufacturing to accelerate lunar construction, (5) New concepts to increase refinement rates in low gravity, (6) New concepts for Lunar Position, Navigation and Timing.