Compare the Earth's mantle to the volume of oil stored in it. It wouldn't seem cost effective to extract by that measure either.

Quantities out of this particular patch of regolith seem to be 1kg/m^3. Given the ability to recycle that water with a little gravity, and the need to cook O2 out up the regolith anyway, this water is going to pile up quick.

Whether or not it's enough for cis-lunar on orbit fuel depots remains to be seen.

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January 21, 2013: The End of an ERROR.

"Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become more corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters."
"When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic."
"The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself."
---Benjamin Franklin

Well guess what? Mankind didn't solve it's problems when we left the caves, and we didn't solve our problems when we left Europe for North America. I doubt if we'll solve our problems before we get to the moon or elsewhere.

I get what you're saying about not poising our earth and not doing the same elsewhere, but I don't think staying here on earth is the solution.

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"Democracy passes into despotism." - Plato