We may be excavating the surface of the moon for precious substances like platinum within this century, NASA officials said Thursday. A new crop of billionaires intent on helping NASA return to the moon and establish a permanent presence there are bolstering the prospect of lunar mining, Bridensteine said. This rendering (pictured above) shows a concept of what a base on the lunar surface may look like. From here, humans would be able to explore the lunar surface. Through NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program, the agency said it will begin to explore the feasibility of robotic rovers and mining technology that could make space mining a reality.

Source: Daily Mail July 19, 2019 22:18 UTC