The Modular Artificial-Gravity Orbital Refinery Spacecraft is a novel, patented NASA technology for in-situ refining and recycling of materials in space, including mass from asteroids, Mars moons, orbiting "space junk" debris, and for in-situ creation of products from operations in low or micro-gravity environments.

Modular Artificial-Gravity Orbital Refinery Spacecraft is a solution for refining in-situ materials collected in space, such as from asteroids and Mars moons, as well as recycling spacecraft debris, while orbiting in micro-gravity conditions. The spacecraft is coupled with refining modules for refining and recycling different types of materials. It generates artificial gravity for operation in low-gravity environments. The spacecraft is comprised of rotating rings, each generating artificial gravity and angular momentum. When the counter-rotating rings are combined on the spacecraft platform, however, they have a net near-zero angular momentum such that the spacecraft can change its attitude with minimal propellant or rotate at the rate of the object the spacecraft platform is attached to. The spacecraft platform can self-balance to accommodate different sized modules and modules with moving loads. The refined and recycled materials can be used to create products in-situ as well as products too large to launch from Earth, such as those usefule for the construction of orbiting space habitats, large spacecraft, solar-power stations, and observatories.

A refinery spacecraft comprises of a hub section defining a longitudinal axis, an excavator segment to convey material into the hub section, first, second and third rotary ring segments rotatable about the hub section with adjustable speed and direction, each rotary ring segment comprises of three modules configured to carry out refining or storage processes and wherein two of the three modules in each rotary ring segment have adjustable angular positions relative to the longitudinal axis for stability control. Methods of collecting and refining substances from an asteroid, derelict orbiting spacecraft or other space junk, involves attaching a refining spacecraft to an asteroid (or other resource), extracting material from the asteroid, transferring material into the refining hub, transferring material to refining rings rotating the refining hub, and controlling the rotation of the refining rings about the hub to establish and maintain angular momentum of the refinery spacecraft in a stable condition even when the asteroid it is attached to is rotating.