NASA wants to build a moon base to make rocket fuel for trip to Mars

As soon as next year, NASA will launch a series of robotic commercial delivery missions to the moon in preparation for an astronaut lunar base. The planned Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) missions aim to establish a'sustainable presence' on the moon, paving the way for science and technology missions and, ultimately, human exploration. According to the space agency, water ice on the lunar surface could even serve as rocket fuel, meaning the moon could become a pit stop on the way to more distant destinations. NASA says the first trips, which could begin in 2019, will deliver instruments and technology to the surface, including devices from the former Resource Prospector concept that aimed to become the first mining expedition on another world. 'We conducted a thorough science and engineering assessment of Resource Prospector and determined all four instruments are at a high technology readiness level, are appropriate for science on the moon, and will make flights on future Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) missions,' said Dennis Andrucyk, deputy associate administrator Science ission Directorate, at NASA Headquarters in Washington.