Computers, Gaming, & Technology Here you can talk about anything with circuit boards, or dilithium crystals, or flux capacitors. Show off your technology, computing, and gaming knowledge.

James Cameron, Google, and Ross Perot Jr. just launched an Asteroid Mining company?

Thread Tools
 
Old Apr 20, 2012 | 10:49 AM
  #1  
Boston Red Veloster's Avatar
Thread Starter
Senior Member
 
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 134
Likes: 0
From: Boston, MA
Vehicle: '12 Boston Red Veloster
Default James Cameron, Google, and Ross Perot Jr. just launched an Asteroid Mining company?

The future is here?



http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow...204737338.html



A new company called Planetary Resources held its official launch today promising a new venture that would merge "space exploration and natural resources," while adding "trillions" of dollars to the global GDP.



The company counts some heavy-hitters amongst its founders and financial backers, including filmmaker/explorer James Cameron, Google co-founders Larry Page and Eric Schmidt, Ross Perot Jr. Charles Simonyi, formerly of Microsoft.



The group's somewhat vague press release has the site Technology Review thinking the new company's goal "sounds like asteroid mining."

Planetary Resources announced its launch on Tuesday morning at an event held at the Charles Simonyi Space Gallery at The Museum of Flight in Seattle.

And while they have set up several online destinations for the company, including Facebook and Twitter pages, no more specific information has been revealed to the public.



You can read the group's full press release after the jump, which promises, "a new space venture with a mission to help ensure humanity's prosperity."


Reply
Old Apr 20, 2012 | 11:55 AM
  #2  
187sks's Avatar
Administrator
 
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 12,515
Likes: 2
From: Lacey, WA
Vehicle: Two Accents, Mini, Miata, Van, Outback, and a ZX-6
Default

If successful, and they should be it's not that tough compared to some Earth based mineral extraction, these men will be the richest people on Earth.
Reply
Old Apr 20, 2012 | 03:24 PM
  #3  
wheel_of_steel's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,837
Likes: 0
From: Floating around the AUDM
Vehicle: X3 Sprint, S-Coupe Turbo
Default

Yes, but adding mass to the earth = fail orbit.
Reply
Old Apr 20, 2012 | 10:20 PM
  #4  
Stocker's Avatar
Super Moderator
 
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 10,795
Likes: 5
From: Pflugerville, TX
Vehicle: 2000 Elantra
Default

Leave most of your launch vehicle drifting in space (preferably toward the sun) or use lots of fuel in space, and you're balanced already.
Reply
Old Apr 30, 2012 | 01:09 PM
  #5  
187sks's Avatar
Administrator
 
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 12,515
Likes: 2
From: Lacey, WA
Vehicle: Two Accents, Mini, Miata, Van, Outback, and a ZX-6
Default

The Earth increases in mass by many times this amount naturally already from stuff falling to Earth from space. It will not be an issue.
Reply
Old May 1, 2012 | 12:27 AM
  #6  
wheel_of_steel's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,837
Likes: 0
From: Floating around the AUDM
Vehicle: X3 Sprint, S-Coupe Turbo
Default

Valid points, that was my biggest objection.





On a side note, it's a shame that this move into space has to come from the private sector, but I guess governments don't feel the need to go to space any more. Oh well.
Reply
Old May 1, 2012 | 12:44 AM
  #7  
187sks's Avatar
Administrator
 
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 12,515
Likes: 2
From: Lacey, WA
Vehicle: Two Accents, Mini, Miata, Van, Outback, and a ZX-6
Default

It will be better, faster, safer, and more profitable. But in some ways it will still be a shame because it won't be the grand scale that only the government can afford.



Manufacturing in space will be the big leap forward in actual space habitation for real people, not a handful of government employees.
Reply




All times are GMT -6. The time now is 01:56 PM.