▁ ▁These ▁miss ions ▁suggest ▁that ▁there ▁might ▁be ▁enough ▁ice ▁water ▁at ▁polar ▁regions ▁to ▁be ▁used ▁by ▁future ▁land ed ▁miss ions , ▁but ▁the ▁distribution ▁is ▁difficult ▁to ▁recon cile ▁with ▁thermal ▁maps . ▁ ▁L un ar ▁prospect ing ▁miss ions ▁are ▁intended ▁to ▁p ave ▁the ▁way ▁toward ▁incorpor ating ▁use ▁of ▁space ▁resources ▁into ▁mission ▁architect ures . ▁NASA ' s ▁planning ▁for ▁event ual ▁human ▁miss ions ▁to ▁Mars ▁depends ▁on ▁t apping ▁the ▁local ▁natural ▁resources ▁to ▁make ▁o xygen ▁and ▁prop ell ant ▁for ▁launch ing ▁the ▁return ▁ship ▁back ▁to ▁Earth , ▁and ▁a ▁lun ar ▁prec ursor ▁mission ▁is ▁a ▁convenient ▁location ▁to ▁test ▁such ▁in ▁situ ▁resource ▁util ization ▁( IS RU ) ▁technology . ▁ ▁Go als ▁ ▁The ▁science ▁goals ▁are ▁to ▁investigate ▁the ▁distribution ▁of ▁water ▁and ▁other ▁vol at iles , ▁as ▁a ▁function ▁of ▁time ▁of ▁day , ▁latitude , ▁and ▁lun ar ▁soil ▁composition . ▁ ▁Pay load ▁ ▁L un ar ▁Ice C ube ▁will ▁include ▁a ▁version ▁of ▁the ▁Broad band ▁Inf ra Red ▁Comp act ▁High ▁Resol ution ▁Ex pl oration ▁Spect rom eter ▁( B IR CH ES ) ▁instrument , ▁developed ▁by ▁NASA ' s ▁G S FC . ▁B IR CH ES ▁is ▁a ▁compact ▁version ▁of ▁the ▁vol atile - se ek ing ▁spect rom eter ▁instrument ▁on b ord ▁the ▁New ▁Hor iz ons ▁Pl uto ▁fly by ▁mission . ▁ ▁Prop ulsion ▁ ▁The ▁tiny ▁C