Space is not an empty space. With many cosmic materials and asteroids passing the Earth, we have found that they can be a lot of use to us, if they can be mined. A group of high-tech profiles want to mine those asteroids, hoping to turn science fiction into real profits.
A company called Planetary Resources, Inc. unveiled itself, and is set to announce plans to mine near-Earth asteroids for resources such as precious minerals.
Planetary Resources intends to sell these minerals. And beside generating a profit for itself, the company is also aiming to advance humanity's space exploration and exploitation.
"If you look at space resources, the logical next step is to go to the near-Earth asteroids," said Planetary Resources Eric Anderson. "They're just so valuable, and so easy to reach energetically. Near-Earth asteroids really are the low-hanging fruit of the solar system."
While the minerals on asteroids can give huge amount of profit for those who dare to mine them, the project does get some critics from scientists who aren't involved in the project. While they are thrilled, they say that the plan is daring, difficult and highly expensive. They struggle to see how the project could be cost-effective, with platinum and gold that worth even more expensive on Earth alone, NASA that returns with just 2 ounces of an asteroid to Earth has cost them about $1 billion.
But the entrepreneurs announcing the project said that they have a track record of making big money off ventures into space. Investors and advisers to the new company include Google's Larry Page and Eric Schmidt, as well as explorer and filmmaker James Cameron.
"It is the stuff of science fiction, but like in so many other areas of science fiction, it's possible to begin the process of making them reality," said former astronaut Thomas Jones, an adviser to the company.
