Big Jim P wrote:What resources?
Propellant close to earth orbits. Much closer than earth's surface.
Big Jim P wrote:Better question: What resources that would economically justify attempting to extract them from the moon?
According to
this pdf 700 tonnes of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) propellant is used each year just to boost communication satellites to higher orbits.
Another endeavor that would consume lots of propellant: cleaning orbital debris. This needs to be done sooner or later or the
Kessler syndrome will come to pass.
Propellant depots would change the way we build and maintain orbital assets. Presently our satellites are so difficult to reach that the paradigm is design, build, luanch, discard. Routine cislunar transportation would make modular, upgradeable satellites amenable to repair cost effective.
If travel between earth orbits became routine, I believe the market for orbital propellant would sky rocket just as the market for petroleum shot up after Henry Ford started mass producing cars.