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takyon [soylentnews.org] writes:

Planetary Resources declares 'mission success' for Arkyd-6 [spaceflightinsider.com]

The technology demonstration spacecraft Arkyd-6, built by Planetary Resources [planetaryresources.com] to test technologies for future asteroid prospecting, has completed all of its mission requirements, the company said April 24, 2018.

Launched [spaceflightinsider.com] on Jan. 12, 2018, atop an Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle with 30 other satellites, the 22-pound (10-kilogram) Arkyd-6 was designed as a technology demonstrator for future missions to explore and categorize asteroids for eventual resource mining.

[...] The company said the spacecraft successfully deployed its solar panels, demonstrated using its attitude control, distributed computing systems, communications systems, and its Mid-Wavelength Infrared (MWIR) imager.

Planetary Resources said the MWIR is the first commercial imager of its kind in space. It is capable of detecting water and other resources on Earth, but the company hopes to use the technology to locate water and minerals on asteroids for potential mining.

The company plans to launch Arkyd-301 spacecraft to near-Earth asteroids starting in 2020. The article includes an animation of what an Algerian refinery looks like using the MWIR imager.

Previously: Planetary Resources' Arkyd-6 Ready for Launch [soylentnews.org]

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