Curious?????

At 02:06 PM 4/10/01 -0300, you wrote:
>From:
>To:
>Sent: Sunday, April 08, 2001 1:34 PM
>Subject: [spacesettlers] Curious?????
>
>[snikt]
> > Could a spacecraft be launched from Earth, rendezvous with and land
> > on a Near-Earth Object (or perhaps the moon, though probably more
> > complicated and expensive), mine the object and "fire" the raw
> > material back to Earth (not LEO) for collection and processing?
> >
>I'm not sure that *one* spacecraft doing all this is the best option - I
>would think that sending many different equipments to the asteroid in
>several trips would be more likely. Ignoring those details, however, the
>answer to general question "Is it possible to mine an asteroid and
>profitably export the ores to Earth?" is "yes", at least in theory.

I am looking for the cheapest investment with the biggest
return. Something to bootstrap larger-scale space operations.

> > Assuming that's possible, are there products that could be
> > manufactured from the raw material that are in high demand? In other
> > words, COULD such a project make money; specifically, enough money to
> > bootstrap further commercial space activities?
> >
>Yes. With the traditional remark: with current technology, the startup
>investment would be *huge*, and even though it would pay itself in, maybe,
>some years, there are not much people that would have the money and, mainly,
>the guts to invest in asteroid mining currently.

Probably true. If we could get it down to a 5 year return on investment
that might make it more attractive. I just don't know if that's possible.

>[snikt]
> > 2. There are several planned missions to return samples from NEOs
> > (ASR is one notable commercial endeaver - they intend to turn a
> > profit).
>
>Fascinating! Do you have the URL of this ASR mission? (I'll search for that
>anyway.)

http://www.appliedspace.com/

> > 2. Potential products? Rare and/or precious metals? He-3?
>
>On the other hand, there are several elements that are incredibly valuable
>on Earth and are less rare in asteroids than on Earth. Ian already mentioned
>rare metals (platinum, osmium, iridium, etc) and I'm adding to the list
>things used in the semiconductor industry, like germanium, gallium, arsenic,
>etc. Those minerals with weird names cost something like $ 20,000 per kilo.
>As you can see, it is the same launch cost per kilo that we have nowadays,
>so that one could have her investment paid after returning to Earth the same
>mass that she had to launch for starting her asteroid mining business...

This is what makes NEO mining so appealing to me (and so many others,
obviously). It seems to provide the greatest opportunity for the quickest
and most profitable return. Would you agree? If we could just devise a
way to get those resources to markets here on Earth without it costing an
absolute fortune. What do you think the quickest, least expensive?

> > Any ideas, suggestions or comments would be very welcomed. Keep in
> > mind, I am a first-class layman who doesn't know his delta-v from his
> > Isp.
> >
>At least, overall you're asking very clever questions for a first-class
>layman!

Thank you.

Jack
From:
To:
Sent: Sunday, April 08, 2001 1:34 PM
Subject: [spacesettlers] Curious?????
[snikt]
> Could a spacecraft be launched from Earth, rendezvous with andland
> on a Near-Earth Object (or perhaps the moon, though probablymore
> complicated and expensive), mine the object and "fire" theraw
> material back to Earth (not LEO) for collection and processing?
>
I'm not sure that *one* spacecraft doing all this is the best option -I
would think that sending many different equipments to the asteroidin
several trips would be more likely. Ignoring those details, however,the
answer to general question "Is it possible to mine an asteroidand
profitably export the ores to Earth?" is "yes", at leastin theory.
I am looking for the cheapest investment with the biggest return. Something to bootstrap larger-scale space operations.
> Assuming that's possible,are there products that could be
> manufactured from the raw material that are in high demand? Inother
> words, COULD such a project make money; specifically, enough moneyto
> bootstrap further commercial space activities?
>
Yes. With the traditional remark: with current technology, thestartup
investment would be *huge*, and even though it would pay itself in,maybe,
some years, there are not much people that would have the money and,mainly,
the guts to invest in asteroid mining currently.
Probably true. If we could get it down to a 5 year return oninvestment that might make it more attractive. I just don't know ifthat's possible.
[snikt]
> 2. There are several planned missions to return samples fromNEOs
> (ASR is one notable commercial endeaver - they intend to turn a
> profit).
Fascinating! Do you have the URL of this ASR mission? (I'll search forthat
anyway.)
http://www.appliedspace.com/
> 2. Potentialproducts? Rare and/or precious metals? He-3?
On the other hand, there are several elements that are incrediblyvaluable
on Earth and are less rare in asteroids than on Earth. Ian alreadymentioned
rare metals (platinum, osmium, iridium, etc) and I'm adding to thelist
things used in the semiconductor industry, like germanium, gallium,arsenic,
etc. Those minerals with weird names cost something like $ 20,000 perkilo.
As you can see, it is the same launch cost per kilo that we havenowadays,
so that one could have her investment paid after returning to Earth thesame
mass that she had to launch for starting her asteroid miningbusiness...
This is what makes NEO mining so appealing to me (and so many others,obviously). It seems to provide the greatest opportunity for thequickest and most profitable return. Would you agree? If wecould just devise a way to get those resources to markets here on Earthwithout it costing an absolute fortune. What do you think thequickest, least expensive?
> Any ideas, suggestions orcomments would be very welcomed. Keep in
> mind, I am a first-class layman who doesn't know his delta-v fromhis
> Isp.
>
At least, overall you're asking very clever questions for afirst-class
layman!
Thank you.
Jack