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posted by martyb on Thursday November 09 2017, @08:03PM   Printer-friendly
from the it's-over-your-head dept.

One expert... in the field of asteroid mining, has predicted that asteroid mining could begin in 10-20 years:

"Asteroid mining on a regular basis, such as terrestrial mining takes place today, with an established industry and an ecosystem of supporting services businesses for the mining companies, could start anywhere from 20 to 50 years is my personal opinion. But any industry must start somewhere, and I think we will see the first asteroid being mined 10 to 20 years from now, at which point the surrounding ecosystem will begin to grow," [J.L.] Galache said.

However, in order to successfully start asteroid mining, a few obstacles must first be overcome. One of these is insufficient knowledge about certain types of asteroids. Although our understanding of asteroids as a whole is advanced enough, gaining a better understanding of the nature of various types of near-Earth objects could be a critical factor in terms of success. Galache underlined that mining techniques will have to be tailored to specific types of asteroids. "For example, you will not send the same equipment to mine an iron-nickel asteroid as you would a carbonaceous asteroid, and you will not send the same equipment to mine a fine regolith-covered asteroid as a rubble pile. I do believe we have figured out what all the unknowns are and it is just a matter of finding answers and solutions to those unknowns," he noted.

NASA's Psyche mission will visit 16 Psyche, the most massive metallic M-type asteroid in the asteroid belt.


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  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by jman on Friday November 10 2017, @02:46PM

    by jman (6085) Subscriber Badge on Friday November 10 2017, @02:46PM (#595132) Homepage
    With apologies to Ed and Patsy Bruce, here's something I wrote in the 80's after running across the more famous Waylon & Willie version...

    Space is a life that not many can take for too long.
    Cold-hearted asteroids, and too many things to go wrong.
    You try not to think of the lovers that you've left behind on your travels out far.
    Being away from your home for too long, the price of Man reaching the stars.

    Momma's, don't let your babies grow up to be Belters.
    Let 'em drive shuttles, no further the moon.
    If they keep on going you won't see 'em soon.
    Momma's, don't let your babies grow up to be Belters.
    Three years of travel, then working for five, so mankind in space can survive.

    Now, contracted labor has never paid higher before.
    Astronaut miners are trained in those skills, and much more.
    Like how to survive where the sun only gleams, as it radiates death out past Mars.
    Or how to survive when you're back home on Earth, and the groundhogs just stare at your scars.

    Momma's, don't let your babies grow up to be Belters.
    Let 'em drive shuttles, no further the moon.
    If they keep on going you won't see 'em soon.
    Momma's, don't let your babies grow up to be Belters.
    Three years of travel, then working for five, so mankind in space can survive.

    Now I've been a Belter for 30-odd years and it seems,
    Oceans and sunsets are always a part of my dreams.
    Yeah, I made my choice, a long, long time ago, when I signed up for work that one day.
    And ever so often, I think to go back, but somehow I manage to stay.

    Momma's, don't let your babies grow up to be Belters.
    Let 'em drive shuttles, no further the moon.
    If they keep on going you won't see 'em soon.
    Momma's, don't let your babies grow up to be Belters.
    Three years of travel, then working for five, so mankind in space can survive.
    Starting Score:    1  point
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       Interesting=2, Total=2
    Extra 'Interesting' Modifier   0  

    Total Score:   3