Interesting Engineering reports that BP America and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) have recently signed a cooperation agreement to explore space and enhance energy production on Earth.
BP – NASA may utilize new models on Earth before deploying them to the Moon or Mars.
BP’s technology may one day be used on both the Moon and Mars to extract hidden resources. The company has experience operating in extreme environments on Earth, while NASA is currently operating several rovers exploring the Martian surface.
According to BP Vice President Giovanni Cristofoli: “Both organizations possess exceptional technical expertise capable of operating under extreme conditions – from the ocean floor to the Moon. Sharing our knowledge helps solve technical challenges more quickly, allowing us to focus on maintaining energy supplies while achieving higher profit margins with lower emissions.”
This recently signed agreement falls under the Space Act Agreement, which allows NASA to collaborate with various entities to achieve the goals of a series of space missions. BP and NASA may employ digital models and experimental simulation methods on Earth before sending them to the Moon or Mars.
A recent study revealed that there is a massive amount of water lying deep beneath the surface of Mars, seemingly covering the entire red planet. However, accessing this water will require advanced drilling techniques. Extracting such valuable resources will greatly aid future settlement efforts. The Moon also has ice, iron, titanium, and aluminum waiting to be mined by humans.
