Future large-scale space infrastructure such as satellite solar power stations and orbital hotels will require metal for construction, and water and other volatiles, for propellant. These can be shown to be retrievable at low energy cost from a subset of Near-Earth Asteroids. A small team of Australian researchers is developing concepts for mining these water-bearing bodies. A recipe for asteroidal matrix simulant has been developed, and the material is being tested for thermal and mechanical properties. The preliminary mining concepts and simulant testwork to date are discussed.
Development of Asteroid Mining Concepts
Seventh International Conference and Exposition on Engineering, Construction, Operations, and Business in Space ; 2000 ; Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
Space 2000 ; 872-875
2000-02-18
Aufsatz (Konferenz)
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
Development of Asteroid Mining Concepts
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