Science fiction for years has had humanity running all over the place colonizing space and even tapping it for natural resources should Earth begin running dry. Now, a company backed by some heavy hitters is looking to make this a reality.
The venture, called Planetary Resources Inc., revealed little in a press release this week except to say that it would "overlay two critical sectors—space exploration and natural resources—to add trillions of dollars to the global GDP" and "help ensure humanity's prosperity." The company is formally unveiling its plans at an event Tuesday in Seattle.
The idea would be to begin mining asteroids for natural resources such as nickel or iron ore and bring it back to earth. At first glance it seems nuts but it is backed by names such as Larry page and James Cameron. Granted, this could just be a publicity stunt for Cameron who also loves to venture to the depths of the ocean for fun. To me the prospect of mining asteroids and even colonizing other planets is pretty exciting and I'd love to see it happen in my lifetime. Someone even thought enough of this to put a few numbers to it.
Earlier this month, a study by NASA scientists concluded that, for a cost of $2.6 billion, humans could use robotic spacecraft to capture a 500-ton asteroid seven meters in diameter and bring it into orbit around the moon so that it could be explored and mined. The spacecraft, using a 40-kilowatt solar-electric propulsion system, would have a flight time of between six and 10 years, and humans could accomplish this task by around 2025.
<strong> What do you guys think of ventures such as these? Is this just a group of bored billionaires having their playtime or are they on to something? Is privatized space exploration the way to accomplish such a feat in the near future?</strong>
I have a strong feeling that the Google lab's space elevator project will play a key role in furthering this venture.
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$2.6 billion for a 7 meter asteroid? Did Zuckerberg do these negotiations too?
HAHA yes it is definitely seems that way.
I won't get into all of the specifics, but the real value of these processes may be solar powered satellites located in orbit above earth, located at various points known as Lagrange points. We have all of the necessary technology to accomplish this, but cheaply launching the payloads is what is preventing this from working. Additionally, the moon itself is a giant ball of oxygen, bauxite (aluminum ore), and silicon (for glass), making it too a tasty target for mining.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space-based_solar_power
The thing of it is, moving toward energy efficiency and sustainability would probably be much much cheaper at this point.
Oh of course. But space elevators should solve that. Of course, everyone laughed me off the forums for suggesting this six months ago.
Back to my rusty honda.
I'm still waiting for the Hilton on the moon they promised our grandparents fifty years ago.
Would be nice from a tech view, but not feasible in any sense of the imagination today or in the next 20-30 years. Moving an asteroid is one thing, successfully mining it in space and bringing to earth are an entirely different matter.
Just off the top of one's head you can start a list of probable issues: 1. Infrastructure cost 2. Probability of failure 3. Minerals already within the earth (i.e. substitutes) 4. Jurisdiction of governments / regulatory bodies
etc.
This whole mining in space stuff reminds me of StarCraft... On a more serious note, it does not seem economically viable to be mining asteroids for the time being, except maybe for research purposes.
The idea of plastics wasn't taken seriously, so I think that this can be the next big thing.
Next big thing? What's your point?
I would buy a spaceship and steal the stuff before they got it to earth. No jurisdiction in space. Real 21st century piracy.
Hahaha.
Clever Hans.
This reminds me of the plot for Armageddon; please tell me Bruce Willis and Steve Buscemi are part of the investment group
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