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Judi Lynn

(164,174 posts) Sat Apr 21, 2012, 04:59 AM Apr 2012

Space mining startup set for launch in US [View all]

Source: Agence France-Presse

Space mining startup set for launch in US
AFP
April 21, 2012, 1:51 pm

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - A startup evidently devoted to mining asteroids for metals is to make its public debut on Tuesday in the US northwest city of Seattle, seeking to redefine the term "natural resources."

X Prize founder Peter Diamandis and a former NASA astronaut are slated to unveil Planetary Resources, which boasts an impressive list of backers including Google co-founder Larry Page and famed film maker James Cameron.

"The company will overlay two critical sectors -- space exploration and natural resources -- to add trillions of dollars to the global GDP," Planetary Resources said in a brief release announcing the Tuesday press event in the Pacific Northwest city.
"This innovative start-up will create a new industry and a new definition of 'natural resources.'"

Read more: http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/world/13488826/space-mining-startup-set-for-launch-in-us/

160 replies

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Space mining startup set for launch in US [View all] Judi Lynn Apr 2012 OP

Bet the only money made will be on the stock market. shraby Apr 2012 #1

And on Apr 15 JustABozoOnThisBus Apr 2012 #2

Zackly. And not by any of us rubes, either. nt Nay Apr 2012 #4

Given that it's not a publicly traded company... TheWraith Apr 2012 #13

I find your publicly traded cynical synopsis to be ironic, but not stronly so. xtraxritical Apr 2012 #59

That's what I thought. harmonicon Apr 2012 #14

Helium 3 's potential economic value is as high as ~ $3 Billion a ton Motown_Johnny Apr 2012 #146

It would seem quaker bill Apr 2012 #3

Not at all. That grossly underestimates the sheer amount of resources present in asteroids. TheWraith Apr 2012 #12

To say nothing of the definition of "trace" in a twenty-gigaton object. (nt) Posteritatis Apr 2012 #16

Exactly. In this case, "trace" amounts of gold means ~10,000 tons. TheWraith Apr 2012 #23

Indeed. IIRC, there's actually some asteroids with quite a lot of precious metals in them. backscatter712 Apr 2012 #82

Notes on platinum and iridium. TheWraith Apr 2012 #98

Just looking at iridium's properties. backscatter712 Apr 2012 #131

This could be highly profitable. Energy is easy to come by in space. Katashi_itto Apr 2012 #5

I love that picture and agree with you about how important this first move is lunatica Apr 2012 #22

LaGrange point 5 Would become a jumping off point Katashi_itto Apr 2012 #27

For the darker side, watch Outland BootinUp Apr 2012 #50

Or better yet, watch the Star Trek episode with the Horta. TheWraith Apr 2012 #54

High Moon CBGLuthier Apr 2012 #57

Outland Trailer Katashi_itto Apr 2012 #60

Agreed, and agreed, and agreed, and agreed, and ... calimary Apr 2012 #61

Why thank you! :) Here is some real deep space footage too! Katashi_itto Apr 2012 #62

Oh man - isn't that the most beautiful?! calimary Apr 2012 #64

I'm also glad this first step is being taken. kentauros Apr 2012 #108

Really cool ideas! I am sure either one or a hybrid of energy process will end up being a solution Katashi_itto Apr 2012 #121

Thanks for the laughs! kentauros Apr 2012 #124

You can use the dust of the asteroid mass you don't mine as reaction mass as well. AtheistCrusader Apr 2012 #133

YES! Crowman1979 Apr 2012 #6

Would be pretty cool if we found too many resources so that we wouldn't even chrisa Apr 2012 #19

The fuel that is easy to come by is Alchol. It's plentiful in that situation. Katashi_itto Apr 2012 #26

Actually, it's not really that difficult at all. TheWraith Apr 2012 #36

And as you said above, here, "trace" is relative Occulus Apr 2012 #109

Not to mention that there will be some place for the "I don't like Government" Thor_MN Apr 2012 #7

Hopefully this is real. Industry should be moved off our planet, not to mention us as well. onehandle Apr 2012 #8

As long as we avoid LV-426, I predict great things for this company. Robb Apr 2012 #9

And Cruithne. Igel Apr 2012 #15

Haha :) Katashi_itto Apr 2012 #30

What, are you kidding? This could be worth billions for the Bioweapons division! n/t backscatter712 Apr 2012 #112

All these worlds are yours, except Europa. bluedigger Apr 2012 #10

:) Katashi_itto Apr 2012 #29

I think it has a chance to turn a dime. sofa king Apr 2012 #11

I think the hardest part is going to be returning the ore to the Earth. TheWraith Apr 2012 #37

Blow bubbles of the material and you don't need to soft land them.. Fumesucker Apr 2012 #73

Now that could be a thought. TheWraith Apr 2012 #77

If the shell material is strong enough and the overall density low enough it could float in air.. Fumesucker Apr 2012 #80

I'm thinking the material is more valuable up there. sofa king Apr 2012 #125

If they can turn a profit this will be the beginning of the Second Space Age. Fearless Apr 2012 #17

That's kinda like the game "Blockade Runner." lol chrisa Apr 2012 #18

I love this idea whether it works or not lunatica Apr 2012 #20

Yep. Like seeing people thinking further than the next election. (nt) Posteritatis Apr 2012 #24

Step 1) get funding for "asteroid mining 4th law of robotics Apr 2012 #21

They've raped the earth enough and now it is onto the Universe..... Smilo Apr 2012 #25

The Universe will definitely survive mankind lunatica Apr 2012 #28

Distance dude, distance....unless we come up with something like warp drive... Katashi_itto Apr 2012 #31

And misanthropy, don't forget misanthropy. (nt) Posteritatis Apr 2012 #32

And here come the misanthropes. Odin2005 Apr 2012 #44

If they think the universe is so much better without us... TheWraith Apr 2012 #72

Yep. (nt) Posteritatis Apr 2012 #75

I wanted to post the same thing, but I was afraid it would get hidden. Odin2005 Apr 2012 #90

And here come the name callers The2ndWheel Apr 2012 #143

There's enough planets for every human currently alive to have their own leaving trillions more 4th law of robotics Apr 2012 #46

isn't that LDS religious doctrine? waddirum Apr 2012 #69

Uh, no, it's objective fact. (nt) Posteritatis Apr 2012 #74

I think they only get theirs when they die 4th law of robotics Apr 2012 #87

Going by sheer numbers it's literally true. Occulus Apr 2012 #111

We don't even have to leave our own solar system. backscatter712 Apr 2012 #86

The nice thing about exploiting asteroids and such in the solar system... backscatter712 Apr 2012 #85

Earth First!!! Asteroids Next!!!! MMJjestic Apr 2012 #95

Do you have any idea how huge an amount of materials we're talking about, here? Occulus Apr 2012 #110

It's almost like there's a word for these sorts of quantities. Astro-somethingorother. (nt) Posteritatis Apr 2012 #115

I know right! After those thousand or so truckloads of material are taken snooper2 Apr 2012 #129

Looks Like James Cameron is Actually Trying to Live the "Avatar" Movie Plot...... solarman350 Apr 2012 #33

Getting some of humanity off planet, is a good survival tactic. Katashi_itto Apr 2012 #34

Mining Asteroids like like exploiting an earth-like planet??? Odin2005 Apr 2012 #47

cameron wants to get into the off-world mining bizness solarman350 Apr 2012 #117

Or he acknowledges the fact that greed is what gets people to go to new places. Katashi_itto Apr 2012 #122

cameron et al want to get into a for-profit off-world mining bizness solarman350 Apr 2012 #118

Move the entire asteroid into earth orbit krispos42 Apr 2012 #35

Thats a viable way to bring asteroids closer. Katashi_itto Apr 2012 #38

I'm sure you know this, but for the rest of the class, NASA explored this idea before... TheWraith Apr 2012 #39

Yep, your absolutely right :) Theorectically its the faster ship we can build. Katashi_itto Apr 2012 #40

No, I didn't know that krispos42 Apr 2012 #53

I *love* Footfall. Niven & Pournell's best collaboration. Johnny Rico Apr 2012 #70

I love Niven's "Know Space" series Katashi_itto Apr 2012 #79

I've meant to read Footfall, never got around to it. TheWraith Apr 2012 #71

"The Mote in God's Eye" is very good n/t krispos42 Apr 2012 #88

You wouldn't need bombs or ion drives OnlinePoker Apr 2012 #41

Space being what it is, pretty "small" nudges and a few years' patience works, too. Posteritatis Apr 2012 #42

Thats right ! I'd totally forgotten about the mass driver concept. Very elegant. Katashi_itto Apr 2012 #43

Seriously? mojowork_n Apr 2012 #135

You need to read up on Langrangian Points: kentauros Apr 2012 #136

I'm not convinced. Sorry. mojowork_n Apr 2012 #140

So, in other words, kentauros Apr 2012 #145

Don't make this personal, OK? mojowork_n Apr 2012 #148

I can't help but call it fear when you pose all these fear-based suppositions. kentauros Apr 2012 #150

Oddly enough, even the worse case scenario would be correctable... Humanist_Activist Apr 2012 #151

The Earth isn't a vacuum cleaner, we have an object a quarter the size of Earth that "falls"... Humanist_Activist Apr 2012 #137

See reply #140. n/t mojowork_n Apr 2012 #141

Yeeeeeah, gravity doesn't work that way. (nt) Posteritatis Apr 2012 #139

See reply #140. n/t mojowork_n Apr 2012 #142

Put away the 1940s SF and pick up a physics or astronomy textbook Posteritatis Apr 2012 #147

OK, elaborate. mojowork_n Apr 2012 #149

Because we aren't talking about a sudden thrust, but rather a slow acceleration... Humanist_Activist Apr 2012 #152

That's like the dude from Syracuse mojowork_n Apr 2012 #154

To put it simply, its not the fall that kills you, its the stop at the end... Humanist_Activist Apr 2012 #156

Good reply. mojowork_n Apr 2012 #157

Most asteroids aren't layered at all... Humanist_Activist Apr 2012 #158

YAY! This is what progress looks like! Odin2005 Apr 2012 #45

Ted Talk: more interesting stuff :) Katashi_itto Apr 2012 #48

If they find a marker, for fuck's sake LEAVE IT ALONE Blue_Tires Apr 2012 #49

This has always been a good idea malthaussen Apr 2012 #51

Kicked and recommended. Uncle Joe Apr 2012 #52

K&R, but I'm skeptical. Best of luck to them. caseymoz Apr 2012 #55

Start up costs are great. But once you claw your way out of Katashi_itto Apr 2012 #56

The costs of landing are just as great or more. caseymoz Apr 2012 #63

Actually no, you dont bring the original vehicle back. because Katashi_itto Apr 2012 #66

Well, you either guide it to earth with some vehicle caseymoz Apr 2012 #107

I'd assume the extraction would be mostly or entirely automated, yeah Posteritatis Apr 2012 #58

In energy it's not going to be cheap coming down. caseymoz Apr 2012 #65

You need to look at more than just one small segment of the problem. Katashi_itto Apr 2012 #67

I'm not calling it a wash. caseymoz Apr 2012 #106

Come on, come on, come on... awoke_in_2003 Apr 2012 #68

No wonder Google is researching Space Elevators in its Secret Google X labs Vehl Apr 2012 #76

Nice! I wonder if they will figure out a way to overcome weak force Katashi_itto Apr 2012 #78

Dont know, But wiki has some interesting info Vehl Apr 2012 #83

Google being Google, I'd assume they're researching all of them. (nt) Posteritatis Apr 2012 #84

very cool, thanks for posting that! Katashi_itto Apr 2012 #101

THC content must be really high for those investors..... MindMover Apr 2012 #81

Yep, and the common people in 1491 knew the Earth was flat and Columbus would sail off the edge.. Fumesucker Apr 2012 #89

There is air which has density and mass and then there is space...... MindMover Apr 2012 #93

Already been done.. Fumesucker Apr 2012 #94

That is a big rock and I own it...... MindMover Apr 2012 #96

I really really like your avatar... it's.. it's.. hypn..oo..tt.. Fumesucker Apr 2012 #97

Ok, keep looking at the center of my avatar and repeat after me..... MindMover Apr 2012 #99

My father was born in 1903, the year man achieved flight, he lived to see this picture.. Fumesucker Apr 2012 #100

What a wonderful picture of our beautiful spaceship.....thanks MindMover Apr 2012 #102

And in 1880 most people thought airplanes were a pipe dream. Odin2005 Apr 2012 #91

In my tragically-underfunded high school in the late 90s... Posteritatis Apr 2012 #92

Just a gentle thought, a number of studies have put NASA RoI at 7:1 or higher. Katashi_itto Apr 2012 #103

I love NASA and especially its capabilities...... MindMover Apr 2012 #104

Thankfully, this will happen in spite of people such as yourself. Occulus Apr 2012 #113

WOW, we went from mining rocks on other planets to space travel.... MindMover Apr 2012 #114

Ummm,, sorry to burst your bubble..but we have always been greedy, avaricious and destructive... Katashi_itto Apr 2012 #120

Yeah, you're right.... PavePusher Apr 2012 #160

It's sad that NASA is being overtaken by private enterprise when it comes to progress in space Phoonzang Apr 2012 #105

Given that we still haven't resolved how to safely send men to Mars NickB79 Apr 2012 #116

The idea's to bring small asteroids to near-Earth space. (nt) Posteritatis Apr 2012 #119

All those elements have been given decades of consideration Katashi_itto Apr 2012 #123

Not all of the asteroids are out between Mars and Jupiter. backscatter712 Apr 2012 #130

Did you forget about NEOs, Near Earth Objects, and Earth Crossing Objects... Humanist_Activist Apr 2012 #138

A "heavy captured asteroid" is one of the space elevator counterweight ideas DaveJ Apr 2012 #126

Well everything falls in space one way or another, (With a Monty Python Explanation!) Katashi_itto Apr 2012 #127

What if the Moon falls? Fumesucker Apr 2012 #128

Technically speaking the moon is in a constant state of falling. Gore1FL Apr 2012 #134

In the case of the asteroid as a space elevator counterweight... backscatter712 Apr 2012 #132

In that case, the counterweight is going faster around Earth than Earth's escape velocity... Humanist_Activist Apr 2012 #153

Deep Space 9 - - - Ferengi Rules of Acquisition Baclava Apr 2012 #144

About frigging time! pfitz59 Apr 2012 #155

Someone please give Newt a shovel and pick ax! MatthewStLouis Apr 2012 #159