Futurist Foresight
A huge vote of confidence for asteroid mining firm Planetary Resources.
“Asteroid mining company Planetary Resources, Inc. announced this week that engineering giant Bechtel has joined their core group of investors and will be a collaborative partner in helping them to achieve its long-term mission, which is to mine near-Earth asteroids for raw materials, ranging from elements used in rocket fuel to precious metals, through the development of innovative and cost-effective robotic exploration technologies. Planetary Resources says that they already have multiple contracts to develop miniaturized and responsive technologies with far-reaching applications to space assessment, accessibility and resource recovery.” - Scienceworldreport.com
(Photo : Planetary Resources)
“Orbiting the asteroid, the Arkyd 300 ‘Rendezvous Prospector’ will collect data on the asteroid’s shape, rotation, density, and surface and sub-surface composition.”
Asteroid mining and putting a price on asteroids.
The asteroid due to fly by Earth in two days’ time has an estimated worth of $195 billion (£125 billion), according to Deep Space Industries (DSI).
“Unfortunately, the path of asteroid 2012 DA14 is tilted relative to Earth, requiring too much energy to chase it down for mining,” DSI said in a statement.
Asteroid due to fly by Earth could be worth £125 billion in raw materials (Wired UK)
Deep Space Industries introductory video to their company. (And a quick dig at Planetary Resources to where they state that they arent in the astronomy business. (by DeepSpaceIndustries)
A quick update from Planetary Resources and their range of Arkyd-100 Space Telescope(Weighing only 11kg) which will be used for asteroid mining.
Planetary Resources tech update, January 2013 (by PlanetaryResources)
More on Deep Space Industries.
MEDIA ADVISORY:
JAN. 22 ANNOUNCEMENT BY DEEP SPACE INDUSTRIESThe world’s first fleet of commercial asteroid-prospecting spacecraft will be announced at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 22, at the Santa Monica Museum of Flying by a new company,
Deep Space Industries Inc. Host Geoff Notkin of the Science Channel’s “Meteorite Men” series will introduce the Deep Space founders — who include leaders in the space field — and will preview an animated video showing the new spacecraft and the company’s other plans, including a breakthrough process for manufacturing in space.
Deep Space is pursuing an aggressive schedule and plans on prospecting, harvesting, and processing asteroids for use in space and to benefit Earth.
The announcement will be broadcast live at http://www.spacevidcast.com
Video of the announcement will be available at http://www.deepspaceindustries.com
Date & Time:
Tuesday, 22 January 2013, 10 a.m. Pacific time.
SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (DSI PR) – Deep Space Industries announced today that it will send a fleet of asteroid-prospecting spacecraft out into the solar system to hunt for resources to accelerate space development to benefit Earth. These “FireFly” spacecraft utilize low-cost cubesat components and get discounted delivery to space by ride-sharing on the launch of larger communications satellites.
“This is the first commercial campaign to explore the small asteroids that pass by Earth,” said Deep Space Chairman Rick Tumlinson (who signed up the world’s first space tourist, led the team that took over the Mir space station, was a Founding Trustee of the X Prize, and Founded Orbital Outfitters, the world’s first commercial space suit company.) “Using low cost technologies, and combining the legacy of our space program with the innovation of today’s young high tech geniuses, we will do things that would have been impossible just a few years ago.”
Deep Space Industries Announces Fleet of Asteroid Hunting Spacecraft
Another step forward for the Asteroid mining industry.
Another step forward for Asteroid mining will be announced tomorrow. We will keep you informed!
On Tuesday, Deep Space Industries Inc. will announce plans to create “the world’s first fleet of commercial asteroid-prospecting spacecraft,” according to an email press release.
“Deep Space is pursuing an aggressive schedule and plans on prospecting, harvesting and processing asteroids for use in space and to benefit Earth,” the company says.
Asteroid Mining: Various missions and simulated missions are making asteroid mining more and more real.
2025 Asteroid Mission
The manned mission to an Asteroid uses new Technologies being used by NASA to make the mission possible.
The Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle is a new spacecraft designed to hold four astronauts for missions to the Moon, an asteroid, and then Mars. The spacecraft is expected to launch in 2014, with a manned launch sometime in the 2020’s.
The Space Exploration Vehicle is another new Multi-Mission vehicle being tested. The SEV concept is designed to be easily used for multiple missions; The pressurized cabin thats designed for the SEV can be used for in-space missions and on the ground exploration of planets including near-Earth asteroids.
(via the-nuclear-chaos)
“The finding comes in the wake of the founding of Planetary Resources, a venture backed by Avatar director James Cameron, which aims to mine asteroids for their wealth. Asterank is based on publicly available information – and aims to catalogue the enormous wealth in the solar system, and also how little is currently known about what lies out there. The 100-mile wide 241 Germania wouldn’t be a likely target for Planetary Resources, however – it’s too far away, in the solar system’s main asteroid belt.”
Photo by Emily Lakdawalla
If private enterprise is also bound by the Outer Space Treaty, then space is nothing but a large nature park, and there is no real incentive to explore space.
Can a private company claim ownership of an asteroid based on sending a probe out to it? Can it at least get exclusive mining rights? Would it own the gold, platinum or other materials mined from the asteroid?
Last week, a new private company, Planetary Resources announced an ambitious plan to prospect for and eventually mine near-Earth asteroids. Backed in part by Google execs Larry Page and Eric Schmidt, this venture has stirred the pot once again on the question of outer space property rights.
Understanding the legality of asteroid mining starts with the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. Some might argue the treaty bans all space property rights, citing Article II:
Outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means.
Others have argued that because Article II only applies to nations, individuals are free to claim chunks of the solar system. But as we’ve noted before, the treaty also requires nations to ensure their citizens comply with the other provisions of the Outer Space Treaty — including a prohibition against sovereign claims of property rights. So neither nations nor individuals can appropriate territory in space. But what about asteroid mining?
