Asteroids

--- In spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com, Justin wrote:
> Three reasons I can think of off the top of my head:
>
> 1) For use in space settlements/factories so they won't have to pay to
> get it shipped out of Earth's gravity well.
>
> 2) As a low impact (to Earth inhabitants) alternative to mining gold
> here on Earth.
>
> 3) As a low-cost way to generate revenue once a mining infrastructure
> has already been set up outside the gravity well. Once we're already
> out there mining the stuff for our own use, I have no doubt we will
> ship some of our spoils back planet-side for a happy profit both for
> the miners and for the purchasers still on Earth.
>
> My question is why would we go all the way to Io for these resources?
> Are there any resources floating around Jupiter that we can't find
> closer to home in NEOs or at least the asteroid belt?
>
> Cheers,
> --Justin
>
> From: Lucio de Souza Coelho
>
> However, I doubt that gold in Io would attract investment. Why bother
> to go to Jupiter get it when you can mine tons of the stuff here on
> Earth?

The thing with mining most things on Earth is that we have been doing
it for so long. All the easy to get stuff is gone.

The question is, "Can we mine AND ship it more cheapily?"

We won't know until we try. And try for a while.

Rick Brooks