The founders of the X-Prize, and Google will open the extraction of resources on asteroids

A number of well-known entrepreneurs, scientists and engineers, as well as the legendary director James Cameron announced the setting ambitious goals: in the near future to begin the study of near-Earth asteroids in order to quickly move to production at these various minerals, water, and precious metals.

The entire work will be under the auspices of Planetary Resources. It was set up three years ago by Peter Diamandis (founder of the X-Prize, known for a number of technical competitions, for example - the first contest in the world of private rovers) and Eric Anderson (Eric C. Anderson). The latter is one of the founders of Space Adventures, known for the sale of tourist tickets to the ISS.

Tireless Cameron became one of the main motors and project consultants, only now "coming to light." Among the key sponsors of the company is worth noting Google co-founder Larry Page, Google chairman Eric Schmidt and entrepreneur Charles Simonyi (Charles Simonyi). He, observe been in space twice, as a space tourist in 2007 and 2009.

Only one 500-meter asteroid, rich platinum, contains the equivalent of all the platinum group metals, which people have ever produced in history - say the authors of the project in a statement. Other potential resources - palladium, osmium, ruthenium, iridium, rhodium, and mono-and dioxide, methane, nitrogen ... (illustrations Murphy Elliott, Planetary Resources, NASA).


According to BBC News, startup project "resources" - launching the world's first private space telescope. If all goes according to plan, this unit should go into orbit in 18-24 months.

Satellite, which is being developed under way, called Leo (aka Arkyd Series 100). This little machine will be used for private space research (for the phone will be offered to the public openly.) But the main purpose of the telescope - the study of asteroids in search of useful minerals.

Over time, in a low orbit should be a series of these "sentinel". Together, they will carefully examine the thousands of asteroids approaching the Earth close enough in the future that they can be a reasonable cost to send unmanned mission.

The next step of the company - the construction of "interceptor» (Interceptor, Arkyd Series 200, the illustration below). These devices must be able to go close to the asteroid for detailed mapping. These machines will be designed based on the same Leo. In addition, the telescope will only propulsion and additional scientific equipment.

"Sniffers" can act alone or in pairs. They will be calculated on a mission to an asteroid that during his travels around the sun approach the Earth at a distance of order of the lunar orbit. Such objects in the solar system, a large number (and the new open regularly). However, they may contain a lot of valuable substances.

Further plan again provides modernization already mastered the machine. Gain new avionics and laser communication systems will transform the "Interceptor" in Rendezvous Prospector. This unit will go to study much more distant asteroids.

Planetary Resources Company expects to create and run the machines for a few pieces that will reduce the cost of production and reduce the risk of failure of the mission. "Prospectors" will be able to analyze in detail the asteroids, their size, mass and composition. Based on data from the swarms of these machines the company can make a decision about the wisdom of sending to some heavenly mountains of mining robots.