Rohstoffspezifische Chancen und Regelungen eines extraterrestrischen Bergbaus

Studienarbeit aus dem Jahr 2025 im Fachbereich Geowissenschaften / Geographie, Note: 1,0, , Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: Diese Arbeit untersucht die Rohstoffpotentiale von verschiedenen Himmelskörpern im Sonnensystem und analysiert anschließend die aktuelle rechtliche Lage des kommerziellen Weltraumbergbaus. Darüber hinaus werden die Chancen und Risiken einer extraterrestrischen Ressourcennutzung sowie die Position Deutschlands diesbezüglich knapp beleuchtet, bevor ein abschließendes Fazit gezogen wird. This paper first explores the resource potentials of extraterrestrial bodies in the solar system, including the Moon, near-Earth asteroids, and Mars. Many space resources, such as water and various metals, could primarily be used in the future for in situ applications, such as constructing infrastructure in space (e.g. a lunar base) or producing fuel. This in situ utilization could greatly reduce reliance on terrestrial resources, lower costs, reduce environmental impact on Earth, and enable longer space missions including journeys to Mars. Only a few high-value resources, such as platinum group metals, may be profitable enough for considering a transport to Earth. The second part of the paper examines the legal framework governing space mining, which remains unclear. While a few international agreements regulate activities in space, there are currently no universally recognized international laws addressing the extraction, utiliza-tion, or property rights concerning extraterrestrial resources. These uncertainties could not only spark political conflicts but also significantly impede essential investments in this future industry, thereby slowing technological progress in the field. Finally, the main opportunities and challenges of space mining and Germanys position on the matter are briefly presented.