Website is up:http://www.planetaryresources.com/ Will update OP with info when available.
On the 24th of April, a new company under the name of Planetary Resources was announced at the Museum of Flight in Seattle. They have said it will ensure human prosperity and inject trillions of dollars into the global GDP. It will overlay two critical sectors, space exploration and natural resources (in another words asteroid mining). It has an impressive group of backers, that include Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Aliens director James Cameron, and Microsofts former Chief Software Architect Charles Simonyi. At first they will survey possible asteroid sites, then mine them to be taken back to Earth's orbit/surface. Their launch vehicles will be chartered from other companies (think SpaceX). Repeatedly in the speech and on the website they are touting how they will reduce costs, which I do believe they can do. Here is a rundown with the technology:
There are no roads where we’re headed. But we have a map. Our Philosophy
Planetary Resources’ near-term goals are to dramatically reduce the cost of asteroid exploration. We will combine the best practices of commercial aerospace innovation, operational adaptability, and rapid manufacturing to create robotic explorers that cost an order of magnitude less than current systems. We will control costs by constraining scope and creating simple designs that can be executed by a small, expert team. And although we will hold ourselves to the highest standards and practices, we will aggressively accept mission risk where appropriate.
Our philosophy will allow rapid development of private, commercial interplanetary space exploration. In light of fiscal challenges facing the spaceflight community, innovation in cost and market is as valuable as innovation in capability. Technology
While much of Planetary Resources’ technology is proprietary, our technological approach is driven by a few simple principles to enable innovation in cost. We are incorporating recent innovations in commercial microelectronics, medical devices, and information technology, in ways not traditionally used by robotic spacecraft.
Deep space exploration also presents specific challenges to spacecraft design. Critical to our success are advancements in the fields of collaborative exploration, deep space optical communications, and efficient micro-propulsion. Planetary Resources is actively working in these areas for our own efforts as well as for NASA and the benefit of the greater space science community.
Flexibility in our design, and implementation in a small package, will enable launch opportunities by taking advantage of rideshare with other spacecraft. Arkyd Series 100 - Leo Space Telescope Leo, a commercial space telescope within reach of the private citizen
Leo is the first private space telescope and a stepping-stone to near-Earth asteroids. This space telescope, utilized in low Earth orbit, represents the next milestone on our technology development roadmap.
At Planetary Resources, we are committed to a disciplined approach of fielding systems simple enough to be designed, manufactured, tested and integrated by a small team, yet robust enough to get the job done. Leo will demonstrate that critical capability in Earth orbit.
The resulting capability of Leo, at an unprecedented low price, empowers a new community to intimately participate in space-based remote sensing and the further exploration of the cosmos.
Learn More Arkyd Series 200 - Interceptor Interceptor, a low cost asteroid mission that enables accelerated exploration
Adding propulsion capabilities and additional scientific instrumentation to the Leo Space Telescope enables an Earth-crossing asteroid Interceptor mission. Several undiscovered asteroids are seen for the first time as they routinely cross through Earth’s neighborhood. By hitching a ride with a launched satellite headed for a geostationary orbit, Interceptor will be well positioned to fly-by and collect data on these new targets of opportunity.
Two or more Interceptors can work together as a team to potentially identify, track and fly-by the asteroids that travel between the Earth and our Moon. The closest encounters may result in a planned spacecraft “intercept,” providing the highest-resolution data, similar to how government efforts first explored the Moon with the Ranger missions (1961-65) and later with the Deep Impact mission at Comet 9P/Tempel (2005).
These Interceptor missions will allow Planetary Resources to quickly acquire data on several near-Earth asteroids. Arkyd Series 300 - Rendezvous Prospector Characterizing an asteroid’s value and preparing for mining operations
By augmenting the Interceptor spacecraft with deep space laser communication capability, Planetary Resources can launch the Rendezvous Prospector mission to a more distant asteroid, much further away from Earth. Orbiting the asteroid, the Rendezvous Prospector will collect data on the asteroid’s shape, rotation, density, and surface and sub-surface composition.
Through the use of multiple Rendezvous Prospector spacecraft, Planetary Resources will distribute mission risk across several units and allow for broad based functionality within the cluster of spacecraft.
Rendezvous Prospector also results in the creation and demonstration of a low-cost interplanetary spacecraft capability, of interest to potential customers such as NASA, scientific agencies, or other private exploratory organizations. Asteroid Mining Redefining “natural resources” for the benefit of humanity
Initial space resource development will focus on water-rich asteroids. Water is the essence of life and exists in plentiful supply on asteroids. Access to water and other life-supporting volatiles in space provides hydration, breathable air, radiation shielding and even manufacturing capabilities. Water’s elements, hydrogen and oxygen, can also be used to formulate rocket fuel. Using the resources of space – to explore space – will enable the large-scale exploration of the Solar System.
Recovery and processing of materials in a microgravity environment will occur through significant research and development. Planetary Resources will lead the creation of critical in-situ extraction and processing technologies to provide access to both asteroidal water and metals. When combined with our low-cost deep space explorers, this represents an enabling capability for the sustainable development of space.
Personally, I completely agree with this. I have long believed that humanity as a whole should think about space a hell of a lot more than it currently does and if the governments of the world don't, then private companies such as this one and SpaceX will. As resources dwindle and the population grows, space mining and colonies will become far more important. This could also usher in "space manufacturing" where the robots go, get the resources, then go back to factories built in orbit of the Earth or Moon, to be constructed into the things, because micro-gravity construction in the long run, is a lot cheaper. Something I do wonder though, is how they will reach the asteroids in a timely manner. Will they use current engines, or more advanced options such as ion engines, or maybe even fission powered engines.
Here is a great speech by Neil deGrasse Tyson on the subject of human expansion into space.
Based on the TED talk by Peter H. Diamandis (one of the main people involved in this new company) , I think the rumors are legitimate. http://www.ted.com/talks/peter_diamandis_on_our_next_giant_leap.html I'm glad, been a big believer in the importance of asteroid mining for years.
Inject trillions of dollars into the world economy? This one corporation will be account for at least 1/60th of the world's GDP in the future? What an outlandish statement and claim.
kollin United Kingdom. April 20 2012 03:42. Posts 4220
Yeah, I think trillions of dollars might be a bit of an overstatement by them, but if they have the right technology and aren't complete idiots, then it will change a lot.
@kollinsc2
sirachman United States. April 20 2012 03:44. Posts 270
On April 20 2012 03:41 The_LiNk wrote: Inject trillions of dollars into the world economy? This one corporation will be account for at least 1/60th of the world's GDP in the future? What an outlandish statement and claim.
It is based on basic facts about the current market value of a single near Earth asteroid. A lot of these resources would be used in space instead of bringing them all back to Earth. This would expand our Earth based economy into space as more people are made able to live and work there. Do some research before you dismiss things based on seeing big numbers. They didn't say trillions in the first years, they said it has the potential to inject trillions, this is its eventual potential and it is completely real.
Last edit: 2012-04-20 03:46:00
kollin United Kingdom. April 20 2012 03:47. Posts 4220
On April 20 2012 03:41 The_LiNk wrote: Inject trillions of dollars into the world economy? This one corporation will be account for at least 1/60th of the world's GDP in the future? What an outlandish statement and claim.
It is based on basic facts about the current market value of a single near Earth asteroid. A lot of these resources would be used in space instead of bringing them all back to Earth. This would expand our Earth based economy into space as more people are made able to live and work there. Do some research before you dismiss things based on seeing big numbers. They didn't say trillions in the first years, they said it has the potential to inject trillions, this is its eventual potential and it is completely real.
Yeah, this is what I mean, as long as they put the resources to good use to expand into space further, it will hugely boost the world economy.
@kollinsc2
xeo1 United States. April 20 2012 03:49. Posts 359
Good concept but first the socioeconomic system here on earth should be redesigned so pointless jobs are automated and people are given the abundant necessities of life meanwhile making every sector self sustainable so no one has to rely on corporations anymore on a monthly basis...
Edit: typo
Last edit: 2012-04-20 03:51:53
There is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world, and that is an idea whose time has come.
sirachman United States. April 20 2012 03:51. Posts 270
On April 20 2012 03:41 The_LiNk wrote: Inject trillions of dollars into the world economy? This one corporation will be account for at least 1/60th of the world's GDP in the future? What an outlandish statement and claim.
It is based on basic facts about the current market value of a single near Earth asteroid. A lot of these resources would be used in space instead of bringing them all back to Earth. This would expand our Earth based economy into space as more people are made able to live and work there. Do some research before you dismiss things based on seeing big numbers. They didn't say trillions in the first years, they said it has the potential to inject trillions, this is its eventual potential and it is completely real.
Yeah, this is what I mean, as long as they put the resources to good use to expand into space further, it will hugely boost the world economy.
Totally agree. However this isn't economically feasible if they plan on simply returning materials. They can make vastly more money selling the resources to be make into in-space assets, fuels, etc. Simply add the 2000+ USD cost per pound to launch anything to every pound of stuff you mine and you quickly realize why it is worth more up in space.
sirachman United States. April 20 2012 03:53. Posts 270
On April 20 2012 03:49 xeo1 wrote: Good concept but first the socioeconomic system here on earth should be redesigned so pointless jobs are automated and people are given the abundant necessities of life meanwhile making sector self sustainable so no one has to rely on corporations anymore on a monthly basis...
Humanity is capable of more than one venture at once. There will always be ways to improve culture and socioeconomic conditions. Staring at the ground under us until we reach some far off utopia will only lead us to the same end as the dinosaurs as the far unknowns destroy us with what lies in our ignorance.
felisconcolori United States. April 20 2012 03:53. Posts 2532
The only snags I see to something like this is finding ways to overcome the physiological stresses of long periods of microgravity, and dealing with the dangerous environment that exists outside the Van Allen belts. But it is something we should've been tackling since the mid-70s. People can go on and on about how we have to "fix the problems on Earth first!" but that (frankly) just won't happen. We can expand, or we can all listen to Dr. Malthus chuckling in the background.
(Sadly, I don't think we can FFE.)
Opteron- "fyeah prime." Yes, I email sponsors... to thank them. Don't post drunk, kids.
On April 20 2012 03:41 The_LiNk wrote: Inject trillions of dollars into the world economy? This one corporation will be account for at least 1/60th of the world's GDP in the future? What an outlandish statement and claim.
It is based on basic facts about the current market value of a single near Earth asteroid. A lot of these resources would be used in space instead of bringing them all back to Earth. This would expand our Earth based economy into space as more people are made able to live and work there. Do some research before you dismiss things based on seeing big numbers. They didn't say trillions in the first years, they said it has the potential to inject trillions, this is its eventual potential and it is completely real.
Yeah, this is what I mean, as long as they put the resources to good use to expand into space further, it will hugely boost the world economy.
Totally agree. However this isn't economically feasible if they plan on simply returning materials. They can make vastly more money selling the resources to be make into in-space assets, fuels, etc. Simply add the 2000+ USD cost per pound to launch anything to every pound of stuff you mine and you quickly realize why it is worth more up in space.
I believe I read somewhere that they were trying to bring the cost down to 100 USD per pound, though that seems unlikely. I just wish that I could live in the generation who will grow up living on the moon or even Mars and so on. I have always found space incredibly fascinating, especially exploration of it.
@kollinsc2
farvacola United States. April 20 2012 03:57. Posts 5561
I really hope that one of the foci of this organization is to continue heavy research into fusion/alternative energy, as it would seem that space only really begins to open once we fix our energy problems.
"Hey colaboy, you made the same exact post to me in the 2012 election thread. I am so glad that TL has thread constables!"
sirachman United States. April 20 2012 04:00. Posts 270
On April 20 2012 03:57 farvacola wrote: I really hope that one of the foci of this organization is to continue heavy research into fusion/alternative energy, as it would seem that space only really begins to open once we fix our energy problems.
Cheap in-space materials from asteroid mining could fix our energy problems by way of large solar power satellites which can collect sunlight 24/7/365 at far greater efficiencies than those bound to Earth.
kollin United Kingdom. April 20 2012 04:00. Posts 4220
On April 20 2012 03:53 felisconcolori wrote: The only snags I see to something like this is finding ways to overcome the physiological stresses of long periods of microgravity, and dealing with the dangerous environment that exists outside the Van Allen belts. But it is something we should've been tackling since the mid-70s. People can go on and on about how we have to "fix the problems on Earth first!" but that (frankly) just won't happen. We can expand, or we can all listen to Dr. Malthus chuckling in the background.
(Sadly, I don't think we can FFE.)
One of the ways to fix muscle degradation and other effects is to use centrifugal force to keep you planted on the floor. There some other ideas here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_gravity
@kollinsc2
Morfildur Germany. April 20 2012 04:01. Posts 3489
On April 20 2012 03:53 felisconcolori wrote: The only snags I see to something like this is finding ways to overcome the physiological stresses of long periods of microgravity, and dealing with the dangerous environment that exists outside the Van Allen belts. But it is something we should've been tackling since the mid-70s. People can go on and on about how we have to "fix the problems on Earth first!" but that (frankly) just won't happen. We can expand, or we can all listen to Dr. Malthus chuckling in the background.
(Sadly, I don't think we can FFE.)
Well, if they would mine Iron from asteroids and wanted to smelt them in space, the space forge would have to be first before the expansion...
"Remember kids, the 3 most important things for becoming a good player: Micro, Macro and always take your Dailies!" - Rastaban
kollin United Kingdom. April 20 2012 03:33. Posts 4220
