Systems and methods for radiant gas dynamic mining of permafrost for propellant extraction

A method for mining lunar polar permafrost to extract gas propellants, comprising:

• identifying a plurality of near-polar landing sites in craters in which the surface comprises permafrost in perpetual darkness, wherein such landing sites have perpetual sunlight available at altitudes of about 100 to 200 m;
• landing a mining outpost in at least one of the sites;
• deploying a high altitude solar array at the landing site using a lightweight mast having a height of about 10 to 200 m;
• generating near continuous power for the outpost using the high altitude solar array mast;
• mining the permafrost at the landing site for volatiles to be used as propellant using radiant gas dynamic mining procedures, which procedures comprise:
• providing a rover vehicle for mining the permafrost throughout the landing site, each rover combining RF, microwave, and infrared radiation to heat permafrost at a depth control heating profile;
• providing each vehicle with a deployable dome to be lowered to the surface, the dome having a conformable skirt to increase gas collection efficiency and a plurality of infrared heaters to warm the surface of the mining location;
• arranging on the interior surface of the skirt a phased array of microwave panels with a subsurface focal plane;
• deploying from the vehicle drilling devices to enable subsurface RF heating;
• sublimating ice at a predetermined depth, using a combination of radiation sources, to cause water vapor to migrate upward and out of the permafrost;
• using a rotating belt for capturing cryogenic vapors;
• and
• storing the vapor as a liquid in water storage tanks.