Will asteroid mining solve all of our economical problems?

[Rocket Propelled Gordon]

I think so, but discuss! It'd be interesting to see what your opinions are!

[BTGBullseye]

First, we either need to develop drone tech to have drones mine asteroids for us, and be self repairing, or we need to develop a much better reentry vehicle.

 

Second, we need to improve our mining processes to use very high power lasers.

 

Third, we need to also build a refining station either in orbit, or in the asteroid belt.

 

Fourth, it will take many billions of dollars just to build the infrastructure for the operation, and there won't be any returns on it for quite some time. I know of no corporation in existence that has both the capitol, and the motivation, to essentially throw away billions on something that can't possibly have any returns for at least a year, and possibly never.

 

Fifth, I'm actually currently working on all but the fourth.

[Rocket Propelled Gordon]

So it's a no? I would have thought a large amount of profit could have been reaped from such an action.

[ThePest179]

Fifth, I'm actually currently working on all but the fourth.

 

How?

 

So it's a no? I would have thought a large amount of profit could have been reaped from such an action.

 

Oh, it can, it's just extremely long term.

[BTGBullseye]

Fifth, I'm actually currently working on all but the fourth.

How?

I am working with some friends to design a drone mining system, (megawatt lasers included) and the orbital refinery systems.

 

So it's a no? I would have thought a large amount of profit could have been reaped from such an action.

Oh, it can, it's just extremely long term.

Exactly.

[Veyrdite]

One current idea: use the material in space rather than returning it to earth. In space, it's worth lots of equivalent 'get to space' fuel, but once you take it down it's lost that.

[Rocket Propelled Gordon]

One current idea: use the material in space rather than returning it to earth. In space, it's worth lots of equivalent 'get to space' fuel, but once you take it down it's lost that.

Exactly. Use the nitrogen and oxygen as fuel/air (if the mining ship is manned) and mine the rest of the stuff and take it to earth.

[BTGBullseye]

One current idea: use the material in space rather than returning it to earth. In space, it's worth lots of equivalent 'get to space' fuel, but once you take it down it's lost that.

Of course, but 90% of the uses for that material are on Earth, and so is 99.9% of the profit margin. Keeping all that material in space after mining/refining isn't going to be useful for making a corporation fund this multi-billion dollar expedition.

[ThePest179]

Fifth, I'm actually currently working on all but the fourth.

How?

I am working with some friends to design a drone mining system, (megawatt lasers included) and the orbital refinery systems.

 

No, I mean how and where are you able to do what NASA could do?

[BTGBullseye]

For the initial boost into space... Virgin Galactic, or the ISRO would work nicely.

 

For designing the drones and vehicles... Physics simulation has come a very long way in the past 30 years, and I can do most of the simulation in real-time on my laptop. I have plenty experience with in-atmosphere physics for flight and rocketry, and have done quite a bit of research into extra-atmosphere propulsion and design.

 

Right now the biggest problem is shielding the drones from the solar radiation and magnetics.

[ThePest179]

For the initial boost into space... Virgin Galactic, or the ISRO would work nicely.

 

For designing the drones and vehicles... Physics simulation has come a very long way in the past 30 years, and I can do most of the simulation in real-time on my laptop. I have plenty experience with in-atmosphere physics for flight and rocketry, and have done quite a bit of research into extra-atmosphere propulsion and design.

 

Right now the biggest problem is shielding the drones from the solar radiation and magnetics.

 

That is one of the few things you've said that made some sense.

 

You do know that if you can do it, so can NASA, right?

[BTGBullseye]

If they would even bother trying, they probly could. As it is, they just don't have the funding to be able to do more than they currently are, and the people in charge don't want them working on it.

 

It's a very interesting aspect of the bureaucracy controlling a scientific endeavor... They tend to make sure they don't go anywhere near anything that could affect life on Earth in any way.

[Rocket Propelled Gordon]

For the initial boost into space... Virgin Galactic, or the ISRO would work nicely.

 

For designing the drones and vehicles... Physics simulation has come a very long way in the past 30 years, and I can do most of the simulation in real-time on my laptop. I have plenty experience with in-atmosphere physics for flight and rocketry, and have done quite a bit of research into extra-atmosphere propulsion and design.

 

Right now the biggest problem is shielding the drones from the solar radiation and magnetics.

Science.

[ThePest179]

If they would even bother trying, they probly could.

 

How much you want to bet that they have already, and just haven't made the things?

 

It's a very interesting aspect of the bureaucracy controlling a scientific endeavor... They tend to make sure they don't go anywhere near anything that could affect life on Earth in any way.

 

This is not a bureaucracy problem, it's a funding one.

[Veyrdite]

Right now the biggest problem is shielding the drones from the solar radiation and magnetics.

 

Interesting read: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiation_hardening

 

I've helped out a satellite group for their balloon-altitude launch. We basically went 'who cares' at this level (I presume the Earth still shields us) but it will be interesting to see how things change now the group is aiming higher.

[BTGBullseye]

Yeah, we're actually looking for a way to utilize consumer-grade electronics in our drone systems, since it's costs about 1/100th what hadrened electronics cost, and hardened still degrade way too fast for the uses intended. Also, it's more difficult for a drone to manufacture hardened components than it is to manufacture consumer-grade components. (remember, they are self-repairing)

 

Right now, we're looking at a form of electromagnetic shielding, (high-strength electromagnetic field surrounding the drone) and EM hardening of the component casings. Problems we're having is dust accumulation on the drone, and ways to prevent it. We might just have a cleaner drone design, or find some way to do something like a reverse polarity shield to repel the dust. (the dust is typically comprised of magnetized iron ore particles from the surface of the asteroids being mined)

[ShakyOregon]

For the initial boost into space... Virgin Galactic, or the ISRO would work nicely.

 

For designing the drones and vehicles... Physics simulation has come a very long way in the past 30 years, and I can do most of the simulation in real-time on my laptop. I have plenty experience with in-atmosphere physics for flight and rocketry, and have done quite a bit of research into extra-atmosphere propulsion and design.

 

Right now the biggest problem is shielding the drones from the solar radiation and magnetics.

 

Why not skylon? whenever that comes out of development. If it does, because SSTO's are the way of the future.

[BTGBullseye]

Why not skylon? whenever that comes out of development. If it does, because SSTO's are the way of the future.

For a couple very big reasons...

 

1. It might not even work, so it's not good to bank on it.

2. Who knows when it'll be able to make it's first full test flight? The mining drones might be in place and mining before it gets it's first flight.

3. I can't find any info on who is going to be operating those things, so I can't tell if they could even be used to do this.

[ShakyOregon]

Why not skylon? whenever that comes out of development. If it does, because SSTO's are the way of the future.

For a couple very big reasons...

 

1. It might not even work, so it's not good to bank on it.

2. Who knows when it'll be able to make it's first full test flight? The mining drones might be in place and mining before it gets it's first flight.

3. I can't find any info on who is going to be operating those things, so I can't tell if they could even be used to do this.

 

Reusable methods in general are ideal. SSTO or chemical rockets anyway to save money is key. But you have to admit SSTO's are a pretty cool idea that could really benefit space travel.

[BTGBullseye]

It very much could, and in fact I'm working on my own design for an SSTO. It's still having issues with the propulsion and powerplant, mainly that I keep melting the propulsion unit, and not generating enough power. I'm essentially using the atmosphere as the primary fuel when it's there, (this is when it melts) and lithium when it's not, all on a modified MPDT. The powerplant is only producing 5MW of power in simulations, (it needs closer to 20MW for what I'm planning) but it's still doing more than any previous nuclear power plant of that size.