The United States Geological Survey (USGS) are experts in mapping natural resources here on Earth. Recently, however, the agency began large-scale mapping of space resources for mining.
The USGS has been fundamental in determining resources across the United States, from mapping oil fields offshore the Gulf of Mexico to understanding aquifer extents and their ability to support human water consumption, to mapping gold deposits in California. In addition to monitoring and predicting geologic hazards, resource determination and management is a primary objective of the agency.
Experts employed by the USGS, however, have always focused primarily on the United States to better understand its resources. Now, the USGS has begun to seriously map space resources to support both populations here on Earth as well as populations on other planets. This includes understanding the locations and extent of extraterrestrial minerals, metals, and water.
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