The current cost of space travel , on a price per mass basis , is astronomically high . All puns aside , this is a major economic barrier that must be overcome . If we are to send humans to Mars , or anyplace really , we ’ re going to have to lower the cost of space travel . Companies are already looking towards cutting down launch costs , but there still exists the problem of mass . Currently we are limited only to what we can throw up there , so our ships must carry everything with them , including fuel . If we could build spacecraft up there , or process fuel in deep space , we could reduce mission cost significantly .
That ’ s when we look up , seemingly towards the stars , but more specifically , towards the asteroids that scatter the solar system . We ’ ve known about their properties for years , with meteorites containing rare metals and comets spewing water across the sky . They ’ re fragments of our early universe , remnants of a young system that never had a chance to harbor life . And now they ’ re all ours .
A closer look at these rocks shows us an astonishing amount of diversity , and even greater potential . Their compositions spread over the periodic table , and their sizes range from pebbles to miniature worlds . Mining these asteroids will be an enormous challenge , but one that humanity is willing to take on . It starts with slow steps , with minimal funding , working towards a vision of a fully functional space economy . However before we can mine these asteroids , we must look to understand them .
The Arkyd 6 spacecraft , with the first ever commercial thermographic sensor , is ready for delivery to the launch pad for launch this year . Credit : Planetary Resources
NASA is where must turn to get some answers . Asteroids are very difficult to study , and since most research has been limited to what lands on Earth , there are still many unanswered questions . Soon , we may finally get some answers . Launching in September of 2016 , OSIRIS-REx will begin its seven year mission to a carbonaceous asteroid to study it in detail , and then send a sample return mission back to Earth for further evaluation . This is a crucial first step , but its purpose is scientific , not industrial . If we ’ re going to start prospecting asteroids then the private sector needs to get involved . The good news is , this already happened .
Two companies , Planetary Resources and Deep Space Industries , are embracing the possibilities at hand , and hope to be a part of what could very much be the next gold rush . Each company is in the process of designing
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