Projects
SolSys Mining engages in various projects in the fields of space technology, ISRU, minerals processing, greentech and recycling. We explore synergies between these fields and tie them together through our core enabling technology - beneficiation
look
LOOK or Lunar rObOt Kompetition is a project by the Norwegian Space Cluster, where SolSys Mining is designing and building a Lunar sandbox called Lunar Arena. This arena will be approximately 100 square meters and contain up to 75 tonnes of simulant when complete, and it will be used as one of the three venues in the competition.
Other collaborators in the project are NORSTEC, Tekna and USN.
ureca
URECa is a novel project contracted by ESA, involving both SolSys Mining and CIRiS. The project ties together life support, minerals processing and agriculture for space, exploiting advanced regolith processing steps for lunar use. The project is to culminate with growing plants in CIRiS’ lab using nutrients based on a novel fertilizer concept.
LuNOR
LuNOR is SolSys Mining’s internal lunar simulant development project. It is funded by the Norwegian Space Agency, NGI, Norsk Katapult and SolSys Mining. So far there have been two major LuNOR projects, with several smaller ones also being completed in parallel. The ultimate aim of LuNOR is to provide a high quality, consistent and environmentally green simulant, primarily for the European market (but not exclusively). SolSys Mining also works with Stellar Discoveries on advanced simulants.
LuNOR is a range of simulants, encompassing all relevant areas on the moon, in several different fidelities. Please check the Simulants page for additional information.
ELISA
Enabling lunar in-situ agriculture by producing fertilizer from beneficiated regolith (ESA project page) is SolSys Mining’s most recently completed project. ELISA focused on beneficiation’s place in the ISRU value chain by investigating synergies between traditional minerals processing and agriculture. Not only were regolith simulants investigated, but also by-products such as slag/waste from molten oxide electrolysis (MOE).
The project involved several contributors, with notable input from the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI) and the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Space (CIRIS) as well as Future Materials (FM) and support by Norsk Katapult. A large spread of mechanical and chemical beneficiation techniques were investigated, and a total of over 5000 data points were produced using multiple analysis techniques such as PSD-LD, XRF, SEM, ICP-MS and IC.
plant the moon challenge
SolSys was involved with NTNU (the Norwegian University of Science and Technology) and CIRiS (Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Space) for the Plant the Moon Challenge, coordinated by the Institute for Competitive Sciences in the US.
SolSys Mining tested various soil-based and soilless systems, including hybrid hydroponics, and created it’s own setups for the project. Students were also involved and ran their own projects at CIRiS’ facilities in Trondheim, Norway.
future projects
Check back regularly for updates on current projects, as well as information on completed ones.
If you would like to collaborate with us, we would love to hear from you. Please get in touch using our contact form or email.