DailyDirt: Playing With Asteroids
from the urls-we-dig-up dept
The idea of mining asteroids has been around for quite some time, but only recently has it been considered a somewhat practical (and possibly profitable) venture. It's possible that private space companies could make it to an asteroid before NASA gets to one, and it'll be interesting to see what happens if asteroid mining operations succeed in bringing back significant quantities of valuable metals. But we're not quite there yet. Here are just a few links on the baby steps we might need to take to start playing with asteroids.- Astronomers have identified about a dozen easily-captured asteroids (or Easily Retrievable Objects -- EROs) that could be nudged into an Earth orbit with existing rocket technologies. We could bring about 1,500 tons of space rock right to our front door for mining operations... as long as we don't miscalculate and cause a nuclear winter by turning them into meteorites. [url]
- Not that long ago, a 10,000 ton meteoroid landed near the city of Chelyabinsk, injuring 1,500 people and causing millions of dollars in damages. Researchers have back-tracked the path of this space rock to its origin as an Apollo-class asteroid -- one of many objects near our planet that could come crashing down on us. Maybe we should focus more on preventing huge meteorites? [url]
- The Keck Institute for Space Studies has studied the feasibility of capturing a Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) to a high lunar orbit by 2025. They estimated the cost of such a mission would be around $2.6 billion. [url]
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Filed Under: asteroid, astronomy, chelyabinsk, ero, meteorite, meteoroid, nea, orbit, rocket technology, satellite, space, space mining
Companies: nasa, planetary resources
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Who owns an asteroid?
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Actually, old idea that doesn't pass the numbers test.
But are still those who believe: "only recently has it been considered a somewhat practical" -- Pffft! Know how much rocket fuel it takes to nudge 1500 tons out of one orbit and into even a minor new orbit? -- LOTS, even if you're patient. -- And to place an ounce of rocket fuel at the asteroid requires another, oh, HUNDRED ounces. I'm probably WAY too optimistic: just guess it yourself by comparing Saturn 5 weight versus payload on Moon shots; the Shuttle flights aren't comparable, don't reach escape velocity, but I am assuming much lighter with robot rockets.
And then there's the fact that most of it will be rocky and much of the rest mere iron.
Asteroid mining will never be practical. -- As someone said when we discussed the wacky supersonic tube idea: Might as well just skip that and work on a Star Trek Transporter*.
[* Which is not in any degree possible.]
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Re: Actually, old idea that doesn't pass the numbers test.
Myself, I'd think long and hard before committing to the interwebs any statement along the lines of "X will never be possible".
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the terraforming fantasy
But asteroid mining remains a popular fantasy, in part because it's part of the "grand plan" to terraform Mars. The gravity on Mars is only 40% of the Earth's. So, to make life more comfortable for future colonists, all we need to do is gather up enough asteroids equal to 60% of the Earth's mass and crash them into Mars. While we're at it, we also need to gather up a few ocean's worth of water, plus an atmosphere. What could be simpler? Of course, it will take a lot of energy to do that, but surely Mars has loads of oil - after all, it does look like Saudi Arabia.
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Re: Re: Actually, old idea that doesn't pass the numbers test.
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Re: the terraforming fantasy
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The real Asteroids
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Skip orbit, easier to extract minerals on earth
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To the above people who think this won't work...
However, look at how far technology advances in just a few short years.
Phones are getting stronger and more powerful every few weeks. Huge flat screen TVs are less than 700 dollars and less than 5 years ago they were more than double that price.
So, while something isn't possible right NOW doesn't mean it won't be possible in a few years time.
Keep your mind open.
After all, at one point no one thought that phones could be used for anything more than making phone calls.
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Re: To the above people who think this won't work...
Within the span of a few decades computers went from something so insanely expensive and large that only government agencies or colleges could dream of having one, to something so small and cheap enough that just about everyone carries one around in their pockets, or has access to one in some fashion.
So saying 'it's technologically infeasible/impractical to do X' is really only accurate if you refuse to consider how insanely fast tech can advance, because while it may be impractical/impossible now, all it takes is that one breakthrough, or waiting for the tech to advance enough, for it to be doable.
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Re: Skip orbit, easier to extract minerals on earth
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Re: Actually, old idea that doesn't pass the numbers test.
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110705/02260214971/dailydirt-supersonic-flights.shtml#c 13
Who needs rocket fuel? Ion Thrusters FTW!
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