rjs (12/06/82)
I've heard that one way of making space technology profitable would be to mine metals from the asteroid belt. How can this metal be brought safely to earth? It seems that you would need to bring vast quantities down to be worthwhile, and I've heard that dropping meteorites of respectable size onto the earth is a good way to drastically change the environment for a long time. Of course: mail answers to me and I'll summarize. Robert Snyder floyd!rjs
Lantz@RUTGERS@sri-unix (12/07/82)
From: Lantz at RUTGERS (Brian Lantz) I believe that the idea is not to use asteroids to supply metals to the earth's surface, where they are relatively plentiful, but to use them in earth orbit where they are extremely expensive. Brian Lantz -------
REM@MIT-MC@sri-unix (12/08/82)
From: Robert Elton Maas <REM at MIT-MC> I've proposed several times over the past year or two to make foam steel or foam whatever-metal, of such low density that it floats in the lower atmosphere. Once delivered in this way from Low Earth Orbit to Low Floating Station, it can be towed around and then partly deflated to bring it gently to ground level. Assuming a non-oxidizing gas such as Hydrogen can be found to inflate this foam, and assuming foam-metal can be made in the first place (experiment on STS-5, I'm still waiting to hear the results), any other problems with this method?
emil (12/08/82)
The most likely way of asteriod mining is using a mass driver on an asteroid/moon to propel material into earth orbit for satellite construction, etc. Another method is to return with a nice sized asteroid by either ion/mass driver/etc. propulsion. Emil
esk@wucs.UUCP (Steve Healey) (03/15/85)
I am doing research on asteroid mining. Can anyone suggest some sources
of information? I have done some digging in a university library, and have
found a few books (the most useful of which is "Space Industrialization",
edited by Brian O'Leary). However, most of the material I have found dates
from 1977 or earlier, and most of it seems to be based on one or two primary
sources that I cannot locate.
Any information or tips on sources on asteroids, asteroid mining, or space
industrialization in general would be greatly appreciated.
Steven Healey
reply to--------> sph3898@wucec1
ihnp4!wucs!wucec1!sph3898space@mit-mc (03/18/85)
From: Dominique.Carrega@CMU-RI-ISL2 I'm doing a research project on asteroid mining. If any one can help, recommend sources, etc., I'd be eternally grateful. Also, is there any way of getting back "issues" of the SPACE digest? I though there might be some interesting messages that I've missed. -Daniel Zigmond (c/o djc@cmu-ri-isl2)