AQUALUNAR CHALLENGE SEMI-FINALIST CSMC

Toronto start-up Canadian Space Mining Corporation is unlocking the promise of Space for life on Earth with LunaPure

“There’s a return to the moon going on and that return to the moon seeks to establish permanent lunar bases. Those bases will require resources consumed in the lunar environment. The most efficient way for us to do that is to produce those resources like water and oxygen and hydrogen in the lunar environment scientifically referred to as ‘in situ’ resource utilization.” <-- Daniel Sax, Founder & CEO Canadian Space Mining Corporation

Interview with Daniel Sax, Founder & CEO Canadia Space Mining Corporation

By Suzanne Forcese

WT: Please give us an overview of CSMC.

Sax: CSMC was founded with the vision of building a world leading Space resources business, to enable the next generation of space exploration. As we've evolved, it's towards a greater mission of solving long term challenges in Space by creating technologies that are immediately applicable to Earth's pressing problems. We do that in resources, energy, and healthcare.

WT: Please describe the team talent.

Sax: CSMC has a strong team with experience across physics, aerospace engineering, metallurgy, chemical engineering, business and other relevant domains. This includes an executive team who've been instrumental in 40+ years of Canadian aerospace engineering and business leadership.

The team has a significant track record of commercializing technology.

Among the team is Dr. Andrew Feustel, who is the former Chief Astronaut of NASA. Drew brings over 20+ years of space flight experience, as well as a deep background in geophysics and mineral exploration.

WT: Congratulations on being named as one of the 8 semi-finalists in the Aqualunar Challenge! What has this meant for the Team?

What was there about the Challenge that inspired you to become involved?

Sax: This is a great moment for the team. Everyone involved is extremely excited about the project. For CSMC, Space resources are a key part of our business. We have been working with the Canadian Space Agency for more than two years in this area to develop capabilities in this area for the international community. For us it's a great opportunity to extend our work in this area further downstream. 

WT: You have been reaching for the moon on other projects -- tell us more.

Sax: CSMC has been leading across a broad section of lunar infrastructure. We have a bold vision of filling key infrastructure gaps on the moon. That ranges from our work in Space mining and metallurgy, to developing new mining sensors, to the development of micro nuclear reactor systems, and lastly health care infrastructure and technology. CSMC is well positioned to be a major contributor to the international community on the moon.

WT: Your Project for the Challenge is the LunaPure. Please describe this system's technology and how you expect to adapt the technology to the challenges of the lunar surface?

Sax: LunaPure is designed to separate sequentially the volatiles from water ice deposits, based on their properties, demonstrating a sustainable process with optimal power consumption, capable of producing water at high purity level, and optimal rate. The system will maximize the benefits of the location for power collection, thermal management, and residual disposal.

LunaPure is designed as a reliable system able to withstand the high radiation levels, thermal changes, vacuum and abrasion effects of the regolith, based on the use of lunar and terrestrial materials able to survive extreme conditions, and work without the necessity of continuous maintenance activities.

WT: How do you envision the LunaPure advancing water challenges on Earth?

Sax: The funny thing about space technologies is they often end up being disruptive in ways you can't quite envision. Looking at the history of Space it has been filled with instances of technology spin outs to Earth, both intentional and accidental.

Clean water is a major challenge on earth, and there are both commercial and human rights-based reasons that are clear today, but there are also numerous ones that we will encounter upon the way when deploying and refining these technologies in Space.

WT: What's next for CSMC? What's the future vision of your start-up?

Sax: CSMC is focused on getting these systems to and deployed on the moon. Along the way we are working to improve the quality of life on earth, making it more secure, energy resistant, equitable, and helping stem the impacts of climate change.

The presence of water on the moon is of key significance to the world. Since we philosophically crawled out of the cave, we have been exploring the world, seeking answers to life's great questions. Who are we? How did we get here? Is there life out there? What does this all mean? Water on the moon will allow us to study the moon in detail, unravelling more of the mystery of life. It will help us learn to do similar things on other planetary bodies, which could quite possibly also harbour life.

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