mining the asteroids for platinum.

About Mining Asteroids, etc. Of course the International Space Development
and Lunar Development Conferences
(http://www.space-frontier.org/Projects/Moon/ldc2001.html) would have people
attending that can provide current information. But if you are isolated and
poor, the book, Mining the Sky, by John S. Lewis, Helix books, 1996, which I
have students in my university general education course, ISC 2074,
Colonizing Space, purchase for ~ $ 25, has a good discussion of many aspects
of "mining the sky". If He3/H2 fusion will work for generating electric
power, which is also discussed, in 20 or 30 years He3 could be worth many
thousands of times more per Kg than platinum, but that is a big if. I am
sure Amazon.com has this book, and it will get you started. If you don't
know what Hohmann transfer orbits, orbital inclination, etc. are you might
want to read another text I use, Intro. to Space, T. Damon, Orbit, 2001.
These books should be in every high school, college and public library, so
when you are finished with them please pass them on. I think more people
being familiar with this material will help us reach ISS objectives.
Sincerely, Jay S. Huebner at jhuebn@...