Asteroid-mining startup AstroForge Inc. plans to launch its first two missions to space this year as it seeks to extract and refine metals from deep space.
The first launch, scheduled for April 2023, will test AstroForge’s technique for refining platinum from a sample of asteroid-like material. The second, planned for October, will scout for an asteroid near Earth to mine.The missions are part of AstroForge’s goal of refining platinum-group metals from asteroids, with the aim of bringing down the cost of mining these metals.
“The only other example here is Elon’s Tesla,” Gialich said, referring to the car that SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy launched to deep space in 2018 during its inaugural test. “I’m not going to call that a mission because he just kind of launched it to space and then forgot about it.” AstroForge said it plans to piggyback on the deep-space destination of the Intuitive Machines flight by sending its vehicle into lunar orbit. From there, AstroForge’s 100-kilogram spacecraft will leave and head to the target asteroid. AstroForge is not announcing the target, and says it probably won’t until they’re done mining the asteroid.AstroForge’s emergence in the space industry comes a few years after the demise of an asteroid mining boom.
“I think the biggest differentiator here is we’ve made a lot of progress in the last 10 to 15 years since those two companies really existed … primarily around launch,” Gialich said. “I can now buy a rideshare mission to the moon.”
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Primordial asteroids are like giant space pillows and could be harder to destroy than previously thoughtThe asteroid has survived in space for nearly as long as the solar system has existed
Read more »
Dinosaur fossils unearthed in Chile may give insight into deadly asteroid strikeThe new fossils are from birds and killer dinosaurs, such as the megaraptor, and provide clues about their life before — and after — the fatal asteroid strike.
Read more »
Ryugu asteroid sheds light into the origins of the solar systemThe study revealed how carbonates on the asteroid were formed several million years earlier than previously thought.
Read more »
Dust particles from an asteroid could save Earth from doomsdayScientists examined dust particles of an asteroid named Itokawa. Their study reveals how we can save Earth if an asteroid like Itokawa is set to hit Earth.
Read more »
An asteroid will pass close by Earth this week. Here's how to watch it liveThe asteroid will pass between Earth and satellites in geostationary orbit.
Read more »
Asteroid size of fire truck expected to buzz Earth in closest flyby in 300 yearsA large asteroid the size of a London city bus is set to fly by the Earth in what scientists expect to be the closest pass in 300 years.
Read more »