AsterAnts

> Undoubtedly, the startup cost to
> * Engineer an AsterAnts retrieval probe, launch it, and monitor it
while
> it does its job
> * Send tools etc to HEO to prepare for the arrival of asteroidal
materials
> * Process the asteroidal materials, and ship the finished products
to
> point of use in GEO, HEO, or LEO
>
> would be quite large. This very large cost would undoubtedly
swamp the
> benefit if we are only talking about the retrieval of one or a
handful of
> 1-meter asteroids.

The first asteroid will be the most expensive to retrieve. Once
you've returned the material and processed it, the startup costs are
gone. You don't have to rebuild the infrastructure for each asteroid.
If the probe is engineered well, it can turn around and get another
asteroid. Same with the processing station. If thought out well, the
processing station will have the ability to replicate itself and the
probe.

Recurring costs
#1. Ground crew (communications, control, tracking, sales and office
workers)
#2. Resupply launch (food, water, air, [cound be reduced by a more
closed loop life support system] and replacement equipment)
#3. Crew rotation (launch, return, training)
#4. Insurance

king_rodent (putting the eek in geek)