This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/feb/15/the-race-to-mine-asteroids
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Expert debate: should there be a space race to mine asteroids? Expert debate: should there be a space race to mine asteroids? | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| CHRIS LEWICKIPresident and CEO of leading US asteroid-mining company Planetary Resources | CHRIS LEWICKIPresident and CEO of leading US asteroid-mining company Planetary Resources |
| I left Nasa to join Planetary Resources because I was excited about what we could provide for the broader development of space: ice from near-Earth asteroids could provide oxygen, drinking water, rocket fuel, radiation shielding, while metals could be used to construct things in space. We’ve already operated our first spacecraft and by 2025 we hope to have robotic spacecraft produce the first litre of water in space. | I left Nasa to join Planetary Resources because I was excited about what we could provide for the broader development of space: ice from near-Earth asteroids could provide oxygen, drinking water, rocket fuel, radiation shielding, while metals could be used to construct things in space. We’ve already operated our first spacecraft and by 2025 we hope to have robotic spacecraft produce the first litre of water in space. |
| Mining asteroids is technically possible, but it’s not going to happen by itself; it needs innovators like ourselves to create the reality from what was previously science fiction. The new law has tackled the issue head on, and while there will always be people who worry about it, one of the exciting things for me is conveying to people that this isn’t something that might happen in the future – it’s under way. | Mining asteroids is technically possible, but it’s not going to happen by itself; it needs innovators like ourselves to create the reality from what was previously science fiction. The new law has tackled the issue head on, and while there will always be people who worry about it, one of the exciting things for me is conveying to people that this isn’t something that might happen in the future – it’s under way. |
| PROFESSOR LINDA FRENCHPlanetary astronomer at Illinois Wesleyan University | PROFESSOR LINDA FRENCHPlanetary astronomer at Illinois Wesleyan University |
| People have been talking about asteroid mining for 10 years or so, and back then I felt we should just leave things alone because we’ve not done all that good a job of stewarding our own planet. But what with the Osiris-Rex mission and the support from the Obama administration, it seems like this is the direction that things are moving in, and the major players involved in developing it seem to have advisers who are good scientists, so I haven’t decided to man the barricades against it. | People have been talking about asteroid mining for 10 years or so, and back then I felt we should just leave things alone because we’ve not done all that good a job of stewarding our own planet. But what with the Osiris-Rex mission and the support from the Obama administration, it seems like this is the direction that things are moving in, and the major players involved in developing it seem to have advisers who are good scientists, so I haven’t decided to man the barricades against it. |
| Harvesting water from asteroids, instead of lifting it off the Earth’s surface, would be a huge saving. But I have some concerns about the feasibility of, say, bringing platinum back to Earth. Still, more data is always welcome – we learned so much from bringing back the moon rocks. | Harvesting water from asteroids, instead of lifting it off the Earth’s surface, would be a huge saving. But I have some concerns about the feasibility of, say, bringing platinum back to Earth. Still, more data is always welcome – we learned so much from bringing back the moon rocks. |
| DR GBENGA ODUNTANSenior lecturer in international commercial law, University of Kent | DR GBENGA ODUNTANSenior lecturer in international commercial law, University of Kent |
| I was surprised when the new US Space Act was signed into law with very little debate. I have the rather nasty impression that it was all hurriedly done. People might not notice what it really represents, which is the beginnings of unilateral claims over natural resources in outer space. This is out of line with the letter and spirit of space law, which are based on common ownership by mankind. | I was surprised when the new US Space Act was signed into law with very little debate. I have the rather nasty impression that it was all hurriedly done. People might not notice what it really represents, which is the beginnings of unilateral claims over natural resources in outer space. This is out of line with the letter and spirit of space law, which are based on common ownership by mankind. |
| My hope is that some member states will raise an issue about this at the next UN general assembly, because the same argument that allows the US to do this will also avail China and any other countries with the technical capability. The environmental concerns are also very frightening. I am not a scientist but I don’t see how you can employ swarms of robots to attach themselves to asteroids without contamination taking place. And when you’re dealing with private companies it’s much more difficult to attribute responsibility for potential damage. | My hope is that some member states will raise an issue about this at the next UN general assembly, because the same argument that allows the US to do this will also avail China and any other countries with the technical capability. The environmental concerns are also very frightening. I am not a scientist but I don’t see how you can employ swarms of robots to attach themselves to asteroids without contamination taking place. And when you’re dealing with private companies it’s much more difficult to attribute responsibility for potential damage. |
| DR LEOPOLD SUMMERERHead of advanced concepts team, European Space Agency | DR LEOPOLD SUMMERERHead of advanced concepts team, European Space Agency |
| We already harvest resources from space to help with space exploration – solar energy, gravity etc – in my view it’s just a matter of time before we use other materials. At the ESA we’ve studied various forms of in situ resources utilisation, including fuel-production and 3D printing of habitats from lunar material. | We already harvest resources from space to help with space exploration – solar energy, gravity etc – in my view it’s just a matter of time before we use other materials. At the ESA we’ve studied various forms of in situ resources utilisation, including fuel-production and 3D printing of habitats from lunar material. |
| It’s impressive how much public interest and private funding have been generated around asteroid mining in the US. At the ESA, we have been exploring public-private partnerships since last year and, while none of them concerns asteroid mining, it might yet come. The ESA is the only one that has landed on an asteroid and is currently preparing an asteroid mission that would include the deployment of microlanders. | It’s impressive how much public interest and private funding have been generated around asteroid mining in the US. At the ESA, we have been exploring public-private partnerships since last year and, while none of them concerns asteroid mining, it might yet come. The ESA is the only one that has landed on an asteroid and is currently preparing an asteroid mission that would include the deployment of microlanders. |
| Whatever we do, we have to do it responsibly, respecting the rights of future generations and the protection of scientifically valuable places. | Whatever we do, we have to do it responsibly, respecting the rights of future generations and the protection of scientifically valuable places. |