A key part of the mission is advancing commercial opportunities in space. Developing access to resources on the moon will be key to cutting costs and developing a circular economy, Sanders said. NASA will at the end of the month send a test drill rig to the moon and plans a larger-scale excavation of moon soil, or regolith, and a pilot processing plant in 2032. The rover will demonstrate the collection of lunar soil that contains oxygen in the form of oxides. Using separate equipment sent to the moon with the rover, NASA will aim to extract that oxygen, he said.

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Persons: Gerald Sanders, Sanders, Samuel Webster, Melanie Burton, Gerry Doyle Organizations: BRISBANE, NASA, Space Centre, Australian Space Agency, Thomson Locations: U.S, Mars, Brisbane