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How feasible is space mining ?


Saru

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Can Eric Anderson and Chris Lewicki of Planetary Resources actually succeed in mining asteroids ?

What do those in the know make of the bold plans dreamed up by wannabe asteroid miners Eric Anderson and Chris Lewicki of Planetary Resources?

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Good idea but i don't think it will happen in my life time,potential though for big problems towing asteroids into close Earth orbit,especially if some one get's their maths wrong.

Wouldn't it cause big problems though?If for instance, Earth markets were flooded with precious metals.

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I hope they are able to pursue the technology. Even if it turns to be a failure from a profitability standpoint it might still provide much needed knowledge of how to maneuver or even change the trajectory of a potentially earth threatening body in space.

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I read the article, and I don't think it addressed the issue of "which" asteroids to mine.

Like, how do you know that a particular asteroid is 50% platinum, for example, or some other highly valuable substance?

And I agree with "and then" that the technology might prove useful in dealing with possible asteriod hits.

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Sci-fi, Nostromo style. Mineral ore mining, off planet!!! They're on drugs.

What would they mine? Whatever it is would have to be incredibly small, light, and unimaginably valuable to make it commercially viable. It's got to be an investment con.

Edited by Occams Razor
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Can Eric Anderson and Chris Lewicki of Planetary Resources actually succeed in mining asteroids ?

No, not a chance, pure fantasy.

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First problem - How to stop the pit-ponies floating away!

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Yeah, bring an asteroid into close Earth orbit...what could go wrong??

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Good idea but i don't think it will happen in my life time,potential though for big problems towing asteroids into close Earth orbit,especially if some one get's their maths wrong.

Wouldn't it cause big problems though?If for instance, Earth markets were flooded with precious metals.

Probably the most likely metal they would find is iron, a common component of metallic meteors. Should they find enough gold/silver/platinum to make those common metals, they do have many valuable uses outside of coins and jewelry and there is the cost factor of retrieval, so precious metals may still be quite precious even if found in abundance.

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