For-profit asteroid mining missions to start in 2016

Sci-fi? Mining startups plan to prospect for asteroid belt minerals beginning in 2016, but the big goal is air and water for future space travel, not gold.

Mining in space is moving from science fiction to commercial reality but metals magnates on this planet need not fear a mountain of extraterrestrial supply — the aim is to fuel human voyages deeper into the galaxy.

Within three years, two firms plan prospecting missions to passing asteroids. When even a modest space rock might meet demand for metals like platinum or gold for centuries, it is little wonder storytellers have long fantasized that to harness cosmic riches could make, and break, fortunes on Earth.

But with no way to bring much ore or metal down from the heavens, new ventures that have backing from some serious — and seriously rich — business figures, as well as interest from NASA, will focus on using space minerals in interplanetary "gas stations" or to build, support and fuel colonies on Mars.
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Now this is just to cool. I have always known that if we were going to continue exploring space that this would be a natural step. I imagine at some point when this becomes streamlined and affordable to do the markets are in for a shock. Gold, silver, platinum, among others is out there for the taking I read somewhere the moon has abundance along with helium 3 which could be the answer to the world’s energy problems. Well I am a bit old to be training for such a job but the kids may have a future in it.

It's about freaking time! There is a wealth of minerals out there, I am old enough to remember reading the classic 60's and 70's sifi books where humanity was supposed to be doing this by the late 1990's.

Space exploration will be driven by profit, as it should be.

Corporations in their greed will accomplish far more much quicker than any government program ever would.

Hopefully the government keeps their paws out of this and lets the business do what it has to with minimal regulation.

All we need are some humanoid robots and flying cars, then we will have a world suitable for a real Bladerunner. 2019 might be too steep for such technological advances, the show Almost Human in 2048 is a better target date.

Yay, secret Asteroid bases we will never know about...

Spookybelle
Space exploration will be driven by profit, as it should be.

Corporations in their greed will accomplish far more much quicker than any government program ever would.

Hopefully the government keeps their paws out of this and lets the business do what it has to with minimal regulation.

Maybe they will build a spaceport right next to where you live and not be required to disclose what comes out in their exhaust that causes your sheets drying on the line to change from white to an orange-purple. Corporations will only have their profits in mind. Just ask the Chinese and how US owned corporations "care" about the health and well-being of others.

reply to post by Grimpachi


Given what the title says, and assuming that is the official spiel by the folks that are doing such planning, I say that they are--to use an old Texan phrase--talking through their hats. Unless they have some marvelous new equipment that will gain them assess to an asteroid and return the booty, there is no way that dream would yield a profit. It would be (for the investor) a money pit. Yet, we can do some speculating how it could be done within that time frame or sooner.

How? The triangles. They are not only vehicles for near-earth operations but their have the capabilities to move at least to the Moon with ease. --Just always keep in mind that they are not rockets and are not limited by any of the multiple factors we associate with space flight.

While the triangles are primarily a weapon of war these days, they will eventually make the transition into commercial uses as their enormous economic potential forces the issue. Personally, I view this announcement of asteroid mining as a red herring, salting the pathway to more revealing truths about the actuality of triangles. Remember, it is a touchy subject because if you scratch the coating of the triangle mystery, you will find UFOs underneath. For the secret keepers it is a major problem. How do you reveal such an amazing device without revealing the bigger secret? Their solution is a very large amount of sleight of handiwork.

reply to post by Aliensun


read more here

You can back down on the cool factor.

Make the assumption they can actually grab one and tug it into Earth orbit.
That's a big dream in itself.

Just what do they have ready to pulverize and then smelt and seperate the materials?\
And then remelt and mix in the other elements to make a specific steel/aluminum.
I've never heard of any plans on the boards for the equipment.
That's an even bigger dream.

Once you have the exact molten product you have to pour it into sheet goods or beams.
Have you ever heard of any equipment plans for this process???
Another big dream.

Then you have to cut/machine and assemble all the raw steel/aluminum into the proper shape.
Once again no plans available.
Dream another dream.

After you get this giant shell you then have to launch engines / electronics / yad / yada / yada.

This is more than talking out of your hat. It's talking out of the other end.

Google the price of diamonds / gold bars / platinum bars. Then Google the cost of a mission to the moon.
You will find that it would cost more to retrieve finished products on the Moon than you could get on the open market.

Mining space is not cost efective.

reply to post by samkent


There is no way I can answer those questions but I once read somewhere that smelting aluminum in zero G has an effect on its tensile strength. I can understand it will be much cheaper to refine and materials in space than on earth and send them into space so mining asteroids will be an eventuality if we intend on colonizing off world.