New Publication: Towards a Water-Based Space Economy

What if the future of space exploration was built around one simple resource: water?

A new Ice2Thrust.Space paper explores how water could become the foundation of a sustainable space economy — enabling spacecraft to refuel, extend their lifetimes, and operate more responsibly in increasingly crowded orbits. Instead of relying on toxic or scarce propellants, the study shows how water can be safely stored, reused, and even sourced from icy environments beyond Earth.

At the heart of this vision is Water Electrolysis Propulsion, a technology that uses solar energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen for propulsion. Combined with in-orbit refuelling, autonomous docking, and future resource extraction from the Moon, this approach could dramatically reduce space debris, lower mission costs, and unlock new economic activity in Earth orbit and beyond.

The paper outlines a long-term roadmap toward a circular space economy — one where resources are reused, missions last longer, and space infrastructure becomes more resilient and sustainable.

Authors:

• Tomas Mrazek, Portfolio Manager WEP Docking & ACS (Researcher), Technical University of Munich.
• Thilo Witzel, Water Extraction (Researcher), Technical University of Munich.
• Sören Heizmann, Technical & Innovation Manager WEP Electrolyser (Researcher), Technical University of Munich.
• Sascha Dengler, Project Manager WEP Thruster (Researcher), Technical University of Munich.
• Prof. Philipp Reiß, Professor for Lunar and Planetary Exploration (Supervisor), Technical University of Munich.
• Prof. Chiara Manfletti, Principal Investigator Professor for Space Mobility and Propulsion (Supervisor), Technical University of Munich.

📄 Read the full paper here: Towards a Water-Based Space Economy: https://zenodo.org/records/17833952