Google execs and James Cameron backing asteroid mining project
80 replies, posted
Deep space mining is a lucrative business.
would nuclear weapon-based asteroid cracking be considered a feasible option?
[QUOTE=Lord of Ears;35630544]would nuclear weapon-based asteroid cracking be considered a feasible option?[/QUOTE]
I suppose it depends on the type of asteroid.
I remember reading an article that claimed that most asteroids would simply collapse back under their own gravity if hit by a nuclear explosion.
[editline]18th April 2012[/editline]
[QUOTE=Vodkavia;35630583]That would damage the material and leave it irradiated, radiation in space isn't fun.[/QUOTE]
Space is already irradiated...
[QUOTE=Lord of Ears;35630544]would nuclear weapon-based asteroid cracking be considered a feasible option?[/QUOTE]
Call me misinformed, but it seems like nukes being detonated in micro-atmospheric conditions on an asteroid wouldn't do much in reality (not much shockwave, only direct heat flash, ect). I guess you wouldn't need to worry much about fallout in space either, the EMP would really suck though.
hopefully this will be the beginning of eliminating world poverty.
I really want to know what delivery method they were thinking for getting materials back to earth. I would think it would have to be exceptionally simple/cheap to make it even remotely worth-while.
[QUOTE=Bradyns;35630188]Reading this gave me shivers.
This video explains just why;
[/QUOTE]
No one can make me cry like Carl Sagan. God bless him
I hope for his sake, and everyone like him, that this becomes reality. That we begin to leave our planet and spread.
[QUOTE=OvB;35630289]Put it into earth orbit to make it more accessible. Two moons anyone?[/QUOTE]
This. The Chinese already plan to pull an asteroid into orbit by 2050. [url=http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-08/chinese-scientists-hatch-plan-pull-asteroid-orbit-around-earth][source][/url]
Asteroid mining, monolith on Mars, life on Mars, Russian nuclear rockets, NASA saying they want to send mankind to Mars.
This is happening in my lifetime. Jesus fucking christ I'm so happy.
The 1% actually giving back to the world? I call bullshit.
[QUOTE=MadDog986;35631039]The 1% actually giving back to the world? I call bullshit.[/QUOTE]
Yep, because there is no philanthropy, donation to research, or any scientific developments made by the 1%.
I bet the ladies would love it
"Yeah I'm a space miner" :smug:
[QUOTE=monkey11;35631100]Yep, because there is no philanthropy, donation to research, or any scientific developments made by the 1%.[/QUOTE]
im sure (even though its very good this happens) most of the philanthropy is outweighed by the horrors most of the 1%'s corporations commit
Minecraft in space.
I'm kidding.
[QUOTE=_Twitch_;35630875]This. The Chinese already plan to pull an asteroid into orbit by 2050. [url=http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-08/chinese-scientists-hatch-plan-pull-asteroid-orbit-around-earth][source][/url][/QUOTE]
This sounds INCREDIBLY dangerous if something goes wrong.
[QUOTE=C:\;35631765]The future is now.[/QUOTE]
Not really.
The future will be when they are actually up there mining and colonizing shit.
I'm thinking of the scenario from Moon, But on some asteroid. And now i got Welcome to Lunar Industries playing in my head
A thought would be to send probes out to the belt, have them attach themselves to a suitable rock and push it gently inwards. If we could bring a rock closer (Safely though, We don't need a Armageddon Scenario due to our own mistakes). Would make transport easier, as well as sending signals
Maybe not possible, but an interesting idea
[editline]19th April 2012[/editline]
Oh, and also damn cool in any case
[editline]19th April 2012[/editline]
Woops, Missed a few posts and it seems i got ninja'd by the Chinese.
so Weyland-Yutani was just a place holder for Google-Cameron?
[QUOTE=mix999;35631755]This sounds INCREDIBLY dangerous if something goes wrong.[/QUOTE]
They're pulling it into a very, very low geostationary orbit over Tibet.
just to put some of this into perspective
[quote] Asteroid contents Current Worldwide Production Price / ton
Nickel 30,000,000 tons 1,500,000 tons $18,000
Cobalt 1,500,000 tons 60,000 tons $30,000
Paladium 7,500 tons 300 tons $20,000,000[/quote]
Nickel = $540,000,000,000
Paladium = $150,000,000,000
Cobalt = $45,000,000,000
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3554_Amun[/url] one asteroid has 20 trillion (!!!) dollars of precious materials and that's one of the smallest known asteroids. one of the smallest.
[QUOTE=madmadmad;35632209]Not really.
The future will be when they are actually up there mining and colonizing shit.[/QUOTE]
The future is soon
it won't lose too much value.
whoever mines it still controls the market and can release as much as they like to bolster the price just as they do now with earths resources. it's not like anyone can go up there and start digging.
[QUOTE=kevaughan;35629917]I'd work as a space mineral miner. Sounds bad ass.[/QUOTE]
plus you'd get really intelligent co-workers for what basically amounts to either placing explosives or hitting stones with sharp objects
so you get high pay, exciting yet relatively safe (if you stick to the plan) work, most likely food and somewhere to stay (unless people start building asteroid hotels) and entertaining and intelligent co-workers
the only thing you have to worry about is the necromorphs
Just watch them find a planet of gold and see it that all our jewelry becomes near worthless.
[QUOTE=Kabstrac;35631508][IMG]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mY4WqAicPm4/TY87h9UzDmI/AAAAAAAAADs/ggACmoumLCc/s1600/mining_moon.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]
Send the poor kids to the saltmines on the moon.
Gingrich 2012!
Asteroid mining is probably precisely what is needed to kick us into the void, send us amongst the stars to harvest the Belt and serve as motivation to stay in space. One can't stay in the cradle forever, and the babies need to learn how to crawl out of their cribs to pursue the rattles that lie beyond.
When we start running out of mineral resources on Earth, we'll need to go outside to harvest the Belt. If it's particularly lucrative, so many money-hungry investor hollows will want to invest in such a venture, which will likely make them more useful in the long term than they've ever been in the history of mankind.
also after we mine all the stuff out of one someone should totally make a giant hollow asteroid lair in space.
Woah, the future might be really interesting.
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