---
title: "NASA Appears to Be Looking for Partners to Help Them Mine the Moon"
description: "Any partnerships would likely marry scientific inquiry with economic opportunity."
date: "2017-05-08"
modified: "2017-05-08"
authors:
  - name: "Patrick Caughill"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/patrickcaughill"
url: "https://futurism.com/nasa-appears-to-be-looking-for-partners-to-help-them-mine-the-moon"
categories:
  - "Astronomy"
  - "Moon"
  - "NASA"
  - "Space"
tags:
  - "moon base"
  - "NASA"
  - "space mining"
---

# NASA Appears to Be Looking for Partners to Help Them Mine the Moon

![](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/NASA.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: \<a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/it-would-cost-only-10-billion-to-live-on-the-moon-2016-03-17" target="\_blank"\>NASA\</a\>\</em\>*

NASA is looking to get deeply involved in the moon in the coming decades. The space agency has recently delivered a request for information to private agencies seeking to collaborate in future missions to the moon. In the request, NASA writes, “NASA has identified a variety of exploration, science, and technology demonstration objectives that could be addressed by sending instruments, experiments, or other payloads to the lunar surface. To address these objectives as cost-effectively as possible, NASA may procure payloads and related commercial payload delivery services to the Moon.”

![Image credit: ESA](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Lunar_base_made_with_3D_printing_fullwidth.jpg>)
*Image Credit: ESA*

The letter signals an increased interest in both the commercial and scientific research opportunities that the moon provides. As *[Inverse](<https://www.inverse.com/article/31128-nasa-private-sector-commercial-space-mining-moon-sample-return>)*[ explains](<https://www.inverse.com/article/31128-nasa-private-sector-commercial-space-mining-moon-sample-return>), the moon "could be a haven of valuable resources, like iron and platinum." Experts believe that even with existing tech, [space mining is possible](<https://futurism.com/report-claims-space-mining-is-possible-within-a-few-decades>). Some experts have even estimated that if NASA were to divert 3 - 12 percent of their budget to mining efforts, it could become a reality.

The ESA has previously announced plans to build a [station on the moon](<https://futurism.com/esas-plan-for-a-moon-village-is-slowly-starting-to-come-together>). The ability to mine resources from the moon itself could minimize cost as minimal materials would have to be launched from Earth and the rest could be 3D printed.

### Author social links  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-caughill-74178a61>)