Starpath Robotics is a startup that’s become focused on harvesting moon water ice to produce liquid oxygen (LOX), which could be essential for missions to the moon and beyond. NASA and the space industry in general agree that using the moon’s resources is key to establishing a permanent human presence there. Water ice on the moon is especially important, as it can be turned into liquid oxygen, a crucial component for rocket fuel.
Starpath revealed its plans last September, outlining an ambitious system involving mining rovers, refineries, and storage systems for LOX. The company recently secured $12 million in a seed funding round, led by 8VC and Fusion Fund, with contributions from Day One Ventures, Balerion Space, and Indicator Ventures.
The core idea is to send rovers to dig up lunar soil, extract the water, break it down into oxygen and hydrogen, and then liquefy the oxygen. The entire process would be powered by a large solar array, designed in partnership with another space company, Solestial.
Since their initial plan, Starpath has improved the mining rovers, reducing the number needed to produce 1,000 tons of LOX annually. They initially estimated they would need 50 rovers, but now they believe far fewer will be required. This progress was supported by $800,000 in grants from NASA as part of the “Break the Ice” challenge, aimed at encouraging private companies to develop lunar mining technology.
Starpath’s current challenge is figuring out how to transport the LOX from the refinery to the spacecraft that will use it and how to load it into the vehicle. To solve this, the company plans to adapt its rovers to carry pressurized tanks of LOX and is working on a refueling system tailored to each customer’s needs.
Right now, there aren’t many customers for lunar LOX, but those planning moon missions, like SpaceX and Blue Origin, could become major buyers. For instance, SpaceX’s Starship could use 100-300 tons of oxygen per flight on the moon, while Blue Origin’s Blue Moon would use tens of tons. If Starpath can produce 1,000 tons of LOX annually, it could meet the demand from these missions.
By the end of this year, Starpath aims to demonstrate its system in a simulated lunar environment at its facility. After that, the company will conduct further tests before launching its first mission, which aims to harvest around 100 tons of LOX per year. This is a bold goal, as no one has ever harvested or refined moon water ice before.
Starpath currently has ten employees, and with the new funding, it plans to double or triple its team. The company believes that successfully producing LOX on the moon could pave the way for human expansion into the solar system, with Mars as the next target.
The company’s CEO, Saurav Shroff believes that making 1,000 tons of LOX on the moon could be a big step toward creating a million-person city on Mars. Starpath also envisions adapting its lunar technology to Mars, where they could convert the planet’s carbon dioxide into methane for fuel.
