Planetary Resources shows off full-scale asteroid mining prototype. Chris Lewicki and the Arkyd-100 prototype Image Gallery (7 images) Last year, we took an in-depth look at Planetary Resources’ asteroid mining plans.
Now the Bellevue, Washington-based company has revealed a full-scale prototype of its Arkyd-100 Low Earth Orbit spacecraft that will search for promising mining candidates. In a video update, Planetary Resources President and “Chief Asteroid Miner,” Chris Lewicki gave a tour of the 11 kilogram (24.2 lb) spacecraft’s features and outlined the company’s immediate goals. View all The Arkyd-100 is the first in a series of different spacecraft that Planetary Resources is developing for asteroid mining. The propulsion-less Arkyd-100 is small, with a fold-up telescope tube, deployable solar arrays, an integrated avionics bay, and instrument and sensor package at the back of large optical assembly that takes up most of the craft’s volume.
Planetary Resources sees the first launch of several Arkyd-100s in 2014 or 2015. Source: Planetary Resources. Asteroid mining is back in fashion (unlike the tank top) Until recently, the last time people talked about mining asteroids they were probably wearing tank tops and corduroy flares.
It was all part of the Apollo-era optimism about living and working in space – and it collapsed along with Nasa's budget some time in the 1970s. Now asteroid mining, though thankfully not the tank top, is back in fashion. But can it really work? A new company called Deep Space Industries has announced ambitious plans to begin prospecting and mine near-Earth asteroids by 2020. DSI plan to use small satellites known as Fireflies to prospect near-Earth asteroids in 2015, and Dragonflies, which will launch in 2016 and take 3-5 years to capture samples from asteroids. They expect their first customers to be "scientific researchers and private collectors" although it is unclear how they plan to get the returned asteroid samples down to Earth's surface.
If you are using a mobile device, click here to watch the Planetary Resources tech update. Planetary Resources – The Asteroid Mining Company. Asteroid Mining: Key to the Space Economy. The Near Earth Asteroids offer both threat and promise.
They present the threat of planetary impact with regional or global disaster. And they also offer the promise of resources to support humanity's long-term prosperity on Earth, and our movement into space and the solar system. The technologies needed to return asteroidal resources to Earth Orbit (and thus catalyze our colonization of space) will also enable the deflection of at least some of the impact-threat objects.
We should develop these technologies, with all due speed! Development and operation of future in-orbit infrastructure (for example, orbital hotels, satellite solar power stations, earth-moon transport node satellites, zero-g manufacturing facilities) will require large masses of materials for construction, shielding, and ballast; and also large quantities of propellant for station-keeping and orbit-change maneuvers, and for fuelling craft departing for lunar or interplanetary destinations. Asteroid Exploration & Space Rocks. Karen Rowan, Life's Little Mysteries Managing Editor | June 25, 2011 03:13pm ET Credit: Emily Lakdawalla/Ted StrykWhile missions to celestial bodies such like Mars or the moon may sound more exciting than a mission to a mere asteroid, scientists say we have much to learn from these irregularly-shaped rocks that roll through our solar system.
Here are 5 reasons why we should care about asteroids: Mining.