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Asteroid mining by 2020

Random ChaosRandom Chaos Actually Carefully-selected Order in disguise
in Zocalo v2.0
This article caught my eye today - a company is planning robotic asteroid mining by 2020:

[URL]http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/24/us-space-asteroid-mining-idUSBRE83N06U20120424[/URL]

[URL]http://www.wtop.com/884/2838860/Science--Or-Fiction[/URL]

"Within five to 10 years, however, the company expects to progress from selling observation platforms in orbit around Earth to prospecting services. It plans to tap some of the thousands of asteroids that pass relatively close to Earth and extract their raw materials."

Comments

  • BigglesBiggles <font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
    They've been building up to this for a week. Pretty much everyone knew what they were doing by the weekend. :)

    The BBC article about it quotes "several scientists" (the only one they name is a geologist who studies impact cratering) as saying they are sceptical because it doesn't seem like it will be cost effective (they must have missed the "we don't expect to turn a profit for decades" bit). There's also a [url=http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2012/04/asteroid-takeout---a-one-billionaire-mission-to-bring-a-500-ton-asteroid-to-high-earth-orbit-by-2025.ars]recent study[/url] saying that bringing an asteroid to Earth is technically not that difficult with our current level of technology... and it would only take one billionaire, not 6.

    I, for one, hope they go full speed ahead. The sooner companies are working in space every day, the sooner I can apply for a job. :)
  • WORFWORF The Burninator
    I wonder if all that experience playing space games will qualify me for the job of captain.

    Joking aside, this is very exciting news! :D
  • bobobobo (A monkey)
    Why would they want to bring it down to earth? Keep the resources outside the gravity well and start living the life we've all dreamed of, out among the stars.
  • StingrayStingray Elite Ranger
    Sorry to break it to you Biggles, but they already have Bruce Willis on their speed-dial. ;) He'll just need to loose 30 years and he'll be as good as new. :D

    Why does everything always take so long? And why is it always 5 to 10 years from now? Why not now? Tomorrow? Next week?
  • Vertigo_1Vertigo_1 Ranger
    This is exactly what you tell the public if you're actually planning a colony drop.
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