It sounds like an idea dreamt up while flicking through the pages of an HG Wells novel, but steam-powered spacecraft could help humans colonise the Moon and beyond, scientists believe.

‘Mining’ water ice from asteroids and the lunar poles could provide cheap fuel for probes , allowing them to hop many miles across the surface searching for vital resources. It could even fuel space travel or help manoeuvre satellites.

Unlike steam power on Earth, where the build-up of pressure drives cylinders and pistons connected to a machine, the thrust in this case would come from steam being ejected into space, propelling the craft forward.