The Expanse (which I'm watching again, in light of what I've learnt last year) posits an Earth with more water than it needs, with New York under seawalls; whilst her U.N. has stripped the asteroid Ceres of the best of her water. I'd like some idea why.
I accept that Earth doesn't use (much) of its hydrogen to boost shuttles (mainly) to Luna - because a fusion drive, especially on this precious marble, will be commanded VERY light on neutron emissions. That means: we're burning only deuterium (and helium-3). That means: we get to keep our protonic hydrogen. Maybe Earth demands every now and again that someone drop an ice cube into the sea like Futurama? whuuut.
I suppose chemical hydrogen propellant might still be in use, but the first stage mostly burns that near the surface where it just joins the clouds. Anyway, the U.N. took none of Ceres' water for Earth.
Out in the Belt: wouldn't runaway water be easier to get back, beyond 2.5 AU? I doubt the fusion drives are burning away their protons, either. Chemical propellant is possible in small bounces from place to place, or if they really wanna Hohmann their way from rock to rock - but the big missions are flip-n'-burn brachie trajectories, that is with that fusion engine again.
Propose that the looters of Ceres' easiest-extracted water, were the [Earth-run] mines at Vesta and Psyche (not Phoebe).
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