In-Situ Resource Utilization

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In astronautics, In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) is the way to describe the use the resources of the planetary body which is explored (Moon, Mars,...) to provide propellant, energy or consumables to the science payload or to the crew which has been deployed there.

Right now, ISRU has not received any practical application, but it is seen by exploration proponents as a way to drastically reduce the amount of payload to be launched from Earth in order to explore a given planetary body.

Typical example of ISRU is for instance the use of a Sabatier reaction in order to produce methane on the Martian surface, to be used as a propellant.