Why would some companies want to mine asteroids?

Why would some companies want to mine asteroids?

The companies’ first goal is to extract water from asteroids by heating up their rocks and dust. Planetary Resources president Chris Lewicki says water from asteroids could sustain people living in space for long periods of time and be used to fill radiation shields inside spacecraft.

Are any companies trying to mine asteroids?

The Asteroid Mining Corporation (UK) is a venture currently crowdfunding for a 2023 satellite mission called “El Dorado,” which will conduct a spectral survey of 5,000 asteroids to identify the most valuable for mining.

What can be mined from asteroids?

Now researchers have uncovered two metal-rich near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) that could one day be mined for iron, nickel and cobalt could for use on Earth or in space. They’re reckoned to be 85\% metal and one is thought to contain enough iron, nickel and cobalt to exceed Earth’s reserves.

Is mining asteroids feasible?

Asteroids are a class of small rocky and metallic bodies orbiting the sun. However, asteroid mining is currently only viable as a long-term solution; currently, the infrastructure and techniques needed to mine and refine asteroid resources is under development, making short term returns unlikely for mining companies.

Is mining asteroids possible?

Has an asteroid been mined?

Space Mining: Scientists Discover Two Asteroids Whose Precious Metals Would Exceed Global Reserves. A problem occurred. Now researchers have uncovered two metal-rich near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) that could one day be mined for iron, nickel and cobalt could for use on Earth or in space.

What minerals can be mined from asteroids?

Minerals that can be found in asteroids are: iron, nickel, iridium, palladium, platinum, gold, and magnesium to name a few. Metal, however, is not the only thing that would be mined from asteroids.