Company Announces Asteroid Mining Plans

[sinvraal]

There's been muttering and rumor-mongering about this, but as of today it's official- the private company Planetary Resources is setting plans in motion to begin asteroid mining operations.

This sounds a little insane... but it's backed by some impressive names and know-how. From the Bad Astronomy blog:

"The company had a pretty fierce amount of

Comments

[anton_p_nym]

There's a good argument to be made that space exploration is still going on strong, albeit vicariously as we fling our robot minions throughout the solar system. (Pluto! We're headed to Pluto in 2015!) As much as I'd like to see more boots on more ground, I have to take my hat off to the folks at JPL and other laboratories doing remote science.

-- Steve's wondering what they'll find at Charon...

[logan_d_alt]

I present this as an optimistic look at the future of manned space exploration. (It's kind of a blatant "heartstring puller". But the guy is GOOD at it. And he shows us many private test and working space launch videos. He's not just talking about them. They are the real deal.)

(EDIT: It's also a little out of date. Made early in 2011. But I think it's still relevant.)

[siujerkjai]

Cautiously- is it time to let ourselves be optimistic about space exploration again?

I totally read that in an elcor voice.

Different parts of space research seem to ebb and flow in support and popularity. The search for new planets and planets that can support life seems to be really hot right now. The search for extraterrestrial intelligence got dumped by official channels just as it was getting going (after decades of preparation), though private organizations have picked up that as well. And when one country dumps an official program, others pick it up. All that space out there is just too tempting. If there's anything you can count on from the human race, it's that we can't resist the allure and mystery of a new frontier.

[biggerfun]

Please happen. I will gladly volunteer to be a space miner.

[kx_krah]

Tentatively optimistic: Please let this be true.
With longing: I really hope this is true and it works.
Desperately: I want this to be true.
Dreamily: One day, we elcors humans will be out there ... just like the movies and the books, one day....
With fear and shuddering: ..... as long as there are no xenomorphs.

[popehippo]

But are they hiring? <3_<3

[kx_krah]

This one hopes they are hiring. This one and its drell assistant would gladly aid in the research of xenomorphs asteroid mining.