Asteroid mining

Asteroid mining is the hypothetical and technically possible extraction of materials from asteroids and other minor planets, including near-Earth objects. Research missions focused on asteroid sample return, including Hayabusa, Hayabusa2, OSIRIS-REx, and Tianwen-2, illustrate the challenges of collecting ore from space using current technology. As of 2024, around 127 grams of asteroid material have been successfully brought to Earth from space. Asteroid research missions are complex endeavors that yield a tiny amount of material: less than 100 milligrams for Hayabusa, 5.4 grams for Hayabusa2, and approximately 121.6 grams for OSIRIS-REx, with Tianwen-2 mission currently ongoing. These figures are comparatively negligible when considering the substantial investments and resources allocated to these projects ($300 million for Hayabusa, $800 million for Hayabusa2, $1.16 billion for OSIRIS-REx and $70 million for Tianwen-2). Notable asteroid mining challenges include the high cost of spaceflight, unreliable identification of asteroids that are suitable for mining, and the challenges of extracting usable material in a space environment.

]] Asteroid mining is the hypothetical and technically possible extraction of materials from asteroids and other minor planets, including near-Earth objects. Research missions focused on asteroid sample return, including Hayabusa, Hayabusa2, OSIRIS-REx, and Tianwen-2, illustrate the challenges of collecting ore from space using current technology. As of 2024, around 127 grams of asteroid material have been successfully brought to Earth from space. Asteroid research missions are complex endeavors that yield a tiny amount of material: less than 100 milligrams for Hayabusa, 5.4 grams for Hayabusa2, and approximately 121.6 grams for OSIRIS-REx, with Tianwen-2 mission currently ongoing. These figures are comparatively negligible when considering the substantial investments and resources allocated to these projects ($300 million for Hayabusa, $800 million for Hayabusa2, $1.16 billion for OSIRIS-REx and $70 million for Tianwen-2). Notable asteroid mining challenges include the high cost of spaceflight, unreliable identification of asteroids that are suitable for mining, and the challenges of extracting usable material in a space environment. ===Mining the asteroid belt from Mars=== Since Mars is much closer to the asteroid belt than Earth is, it would take less Delta-v to get to the asteroid belt and return minerals to Mars. One hypothesis is that the origin of the Moons of Mars (Phobos and Deimos) are actually asteroid captures from the asteroid belt. 16 Psyche in the main belt could have over $10,000 Quadrillion United States dollar worth of minerals. NASA launched a study mission on 13 October 2023 using the Psyche orbiter to get to the asteroid by August 2029. 511 Davida could have $27 quadrillion worth of minerals and resources. Using the Mars moon Phobos to launch spacecraft is energetically favorable and a useful location from which to dispatch missions to main belt asteroids. Mining the asteroid belt from Mars and its moons could help in the Colonization of Mars. ===Legal regimes of some countries=== ==Environmental impact== A positive impact of asteroid mining has been conjectured as being an enabler of transferring industrial activities into space, such as energy generation. A quantitative analysis of the potential environmental benefits of water and platinum mining in space has been developed, where potentially large benefits could materialize, depending on the ratio of material mined in space and mass launched into space. Asteroid mining, or off-Earth Mining (OEM), is occasionally promoted as a sustainable alternative to terrestrial extraction, with the potential to reduce ecological degradation on Earth. Metals such as platinum and palladium, which are comparatively scarce on Earth but more abundant in some near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) such as 16 Psyche are likely to be primary targets for future resource return missions. ===Space mission firsts by country=== Technological "stepping stones" comprise capabilities including flying by the object, orbiting the object, landing on the object, roving on the surface of the object, and returning a sample from an extraterrestrial object. Here are the list of "first" successful missions by country: ===Additional completed and ongoing missions=== Hayabusa2 (completed) – JAXA asteroid sample return mission (arrived at the target in 2018, returned sample in 2020) OSIRIS-REx (completed) – NASA asteroid sample return mission (launched on 8 September 2016, arrived at target 2020, returned sample on 24 September 2023 ) Tianwen-2 (ongoing) – ongoing CNSA asteroid sample return mission (will arrive at the target in 2026, will return sample in 2027) ==See also== Asteroid belt Asteroid capture Asteroid Redirect Mission Atmospheric mining Gravity train / elevator In situ resource utilization Lunar resources Mining Mining the Sky: Untold Riches from the Asteroids, Comets, and Planets Near Earth Asteroid Prospector Sample-return mission Space manufacturing Space-based economy World Is Not Enough (spacecraft propulsion) ==Further reading== ==Notes== ==References== ==External links== Michael Booth: The Future of Space Mining (21 December 1995) Video Beyond Earth – NEO Destinations, NewSpace Conference of the Space Frontier Foundation, 7 Aug 2011 Video Moon, Mars, Asteroids – Where to Go First for Resources? Space manufacturing Conference of the Space Studies Institute, October 2010 Video Moving An Asteroid, California Institute of Technology, Workshop Public Lecture Panel, September 2011 Video Asteroid Mining – The Market Problem and Radical Solution, November 2013

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