WATER IS THE MOST COMMONLY DESIRED RESOURCE TO BE EXTRACTED IN-SITU IN ORDER TO REDUCE CONSUMABLE IMPORT FROM EARTH. WATER CAN BE USED TO CREATE ROCKET FUEL AND OXIDIZER (E.G. CH4 TOGETHER WITH CO2 FROM THE ATMOSPHERE H2 AND/OR O2) AS WELL AS WATER FOR USE BY FUTURE ASTRONAUTS. THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH IS TO DEMONSTRATE AN INNOVATIVE PROCESS FOR EXTRACTION OF WATER FROM HARD EXTRATERRESTRIAL SOILS. THE PROCESS INVOLVES DISSOLVING AND DISAGGREGATING THE HARD SURFACE MATERIAL UNDER A DOME USING WATER JET TO FORM A SLURRY THEN PUMPING THE SLURRY INTO THE WATER EXTRACTION SYSTEM. THE PROPOSED PROCESS ELIMINATES THE HARDEST PROBLEM IN MINING: COMMINUTION WHICH ALWAYS INVOLVES HEAVY EQUIPMENT SIGNIFICANT ENERGIES FORCES AND CONSUMABLES (CUTTING TOOLS) THAT ARE IMPRACTICAL FOR SUSTAINED EXTRATERRESTRIAL MINING AND CAUSE A LOT OF DUST. THE PROPOSED INNOVATION WILL ENABLE A ROBUST SCALABLE SUSTAINABLE METHOD FOR WATER EXTRACTION CAPABLE OF ACHIEVING THE REQUIRED 0.8 KG/HR PRODUCTION RATE. THE PROPOSED INNOVATION DIRECTLY ADDRESSES TWO OF THE SUBTOPICS UNDER TOPIC 4; EXCAVATION OF HYDRATED MINERAL HARD EXTRATERRESTRIAL SOILS AND EXTRACTION OF THE WATER FROM THE EXCAVATED MINERALS. THIS INNOVATION WOULD ALLOW WATER EXTRACTION WITHOUT TRADITIONAL MECHANICAL EXCAVATION METHODS FOR A VARIETY OF MINERAL TYPES AND SOLAR SYSTEM LOCATIONS SUPPORTING HUMAN SPACE EXPLORATION AND POTENTIALLY INCREASING SCIENCE CAPABILITIES BEING ABLE TO GENERATE CERTAIN CONSUMABLES REPEATEDLY AND DUE TO ROBUSTNESS COULD FUNCTION FOR LONG PERIODS. BECAUSE IT WOULD GENERATE THE WATER NECESSARY FOR DISAGGREGATION THERE IS NO NEED FOR CONSUMABLES OR RESUPPLY FROM EARTH. THE FOCUS OF THE STUDY WILL BE ON THE MINERAL GYPSUM SINCE IT RELEASES ITS BOUND WATER AT VERY BENIGN 150-180 C WHICH IS MUCH EASIER TO DESIGN THAN PROCESSES REQUIRING MINERAL MELT SUCH AS RELEASING OXYGEN FROM ILMENITE AT 1000 C. THE INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY WILL ALSO WORK FOR MANY OTHER TYPES OF HYDRATED MINERAL AND EVEN ICE-CEMENTED SOIL. EXTRACTION OF WATER FROM HARD GYPSUM DEPOSITS ON MARS REQUIRES DISAGGREGATION OF THE MINERAL SEPARATION OF SOLIDS FROM WATER AND PRECIPITATION OF GYPSUM IN SOLUTION. REQUIREMENTS FOR EACH OF THESE PROCESSES UNDER MARTIAN CONDITIONS ARE NOT WELL UNDERSTOOD AND CAN BE CONSIDERED AT A TRL LEVEL OF 1-2. COMBINING THESE PROCESSES INTO A SINGLE COMPACT SYSTEM REQUIRES AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW WATER (LIQUID AND VAPOR) GAS AND HEAT INTERACT WITH THE ROCK BEING EXCAVATED. FINALLY INTEGRATION OF THESE PROCESSES NECESSARILY NEEDS TO OPTIMIZE SIZE POWER AND FUNCTIONALITY. BY THE END OF THE PROJECT THE PROCESSES AND SYSTEM INTEGRATION WILL BE AT A TRL LEVEL OF 3-4.