Diamandis has long talked about creating an ‘exothermic reaction,” — science jargon for a process that releases energy in the form of light or heat, often in the form of an explosion — in space.
Curiosity started the space race. Then fear that the Russians would overtake the United States. Now it’s time for greed to play a role. “That’s the only way it’s going to happen irrevocably, I’m trying to start a gold rush,” Diamandis said.
This is all types of cool. The space gold rush is on, and I really think this is the most logical and best approach we can have towards exploring space. Governments should not have the monopoly on space travel, and should encourage entrepreneurial efforts to get up there. Besides, if a company can make money by going up there and actually ‘produce’ something of value for their efforts, then that is far better than just going up there for the hell of it.
From a security point of view, I am very much enthused. The protection of this earth from asteroids or other types of large and deadly space projectiles, is essential to the survival of the human race. We need to be in space in order to master it and our fate. Having companies that specialize in reaching asteroids to mine them, only helps in the process of being able to destroy one of these things if we ever had to. Theory is one thing, but experience and capability is quite another.
Also, if these guys do land some big scores of Platinum or Palladium, and they bring it down to earth, then those companies will soon be extremely wealthy. These companies will require cyber security and physical security in order to protect their hard fought intellectual property. Or if they find new elements, and those elements lead to some fantastic discoveries in technology, then small armies will be required to protect that. The launch facilities and manufacturing plants will also need the type of security on order with what nuclear plants have, or what NASA had.
The other point I wanted to make, was the use of X Prize or contests in order to invigorate the process of innovation for space exploration. This approach is powerful and creating innovations by leaps and bounds. It is the thrill of profit and bragging rights that fuel these innovations and collaborations within these companies. It is a big game, and competition between all of the players makes this fun and focused. These elements of contest, are exactly why I continue to explore offense industry for warfare. And especially using offense industry to stop piracy (online or ocean), criminal organizations, and terrorists.
This brings up another point. In the commons called space, eventually we will see criminal elements take advantage. Imagine hacking a mining drone and then having that thing being directed to land on earth in a place where the hacker knows the owners cannot reach? Or they could demand ransom for that vessel. Imagine hackers attacking these highly complex space travel computer systems and sabotaging competitors, or stealing intellectual property?
If these companies do in fact bring back trillions of dollars worth of riches, then there will be those who will want to take it. It is what happened during the early days of ocean exploration between governments, pirates, and privateers. It is what happened during the expansion out west in America with the gold rush. It happened and continues to happen in places like Africa, and it will happen in one form or another with space. It is just a matter of time and security will be essential in order to make space mining possible.
Either way, check it out and let me know what you think. This is an awesome and exciting time period, and I will be cheering these guys on. Companies mentioned are Moon Express and Planetary Resources Inc. –Matt
Moon Express lander test vehicle. (Credit: Moon Express)
Planetary Resources Co-Founder Aims To Create Space ‘Gold Rush’
Brian Caulfield
4/20/2012
Earlier this year, entrepreneur and X-Prize impresario Peter Diamandis hinted he was about to unveil something amazing: a startup that will mine asteroids for precious metals.
“Since my childhood I’ve wanted to do one thing, be an asteroid miner,” Diamandis told Forbes. “So stay tuned on that one.”
It looks like Diamandis may be about to push the launch button on the idea.
Backed by a group including Google Chief Executive Larry Page, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, filmmaker James Cameron, former Microsoft Chief Architect Charles Simonyi, and Ross Perot Jr., Planetary Ventures will unveil its plans Tuesday at the Museum of Flight in Seattle.
To be sure, no one has said publicly — yet — that the new venture Diamandis is involved with will mine asteroids, but there are more than a few clues pointing in that direction.
The startup will be led by a team including former NASA Mars mission manager Chris Lewicki; co-founder Eric Anderson, co-founder of the International Space University; and Diamandis, whose X-Prize Foundation kicked off the commercial space tourism industry by awarding a $10 million prize to Paul Allen and Burt Rutan’s SpaceShipOne effort.
“The company will overlay two critical sectors – space exploration and natural resources – to add trillions of dollars to the global GDP,” according to a press release teasing the announcement. “This innovative start-up will create a new industry and a new definition of ‘natural resources.’”
Diamandis has long talked about creating an ‘exothermic reaction,” — science jargon for a process that releases energy in the form of light or heat, often in the form of an explosion — in space.
Curiosity started the space race. Then fear that the Russians would overtake the United States. Now it’s time for greed to play a role. “That’s he only way it’s going to happen irrevocably, I’m trying to start a gold rush,” Diamandis said.
It’s not as crazy as it may sound to some. Space scientists have long talked about mining asteroids, which could be rich in rare earths essential to the electronics industry.
Many of these rocks get awfully close: last November 8, for example, a 400-meter wide rock dubbed asteroid 2005 YU55 will passed within 201,000 miles of the earth. The average distance to the moon: 240,000 miles.
Depending on their orbit, some asteroids could be mined for a few years, and then abandoned before they zip out of reach. Others might be slowed and eased into near earth orbit.??Just securing gear in the low-gravity environment of an asteroid could be a challenge, however, with scientists weighing options ranging from harpooning asteroids to burrowing in with rotating screws.
Once secure, machinery could scrape the loose rocks on the surface of the asteroid; vaporize asteroids composed of ices and hydrocarbons; or cut and crush through asteroids composed of harder silicates and metal.
Figure out a way to extract those resources could create the world’s first trillionaire. “If I have a near-term shot at becoming a billionaire it probably be through my interest in asteroid mining,” Diamandis says.
But while greed may be the mechanism, it’s probably not Diamandis’ motive, say those who know him.
Robert Zubrin, chairman of the Mars Foundation, compares Peter Diamandis to Delos David Harriman, the protagonist of Robert Heinlein’s “The Man Who Sold The Moon.”
Harriman hyped the idea of riches on the moon to create a gold rush. Like Harriman, Diamandis sees capitalism as the force that will finally coax humanity off the planet.
“He’s not doing what he’s doing for greed,” Zubrin says of Diamandis. “It’s like Columbus selling Ferdinand and Isabella on the spice route to India, I think Columbus just wanted to go sailing; Diamandis is into opening the space frontier because he’s into opening the space frontier.”
Story here.
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Moon Express Details Plans to Mine the Moon
Moon Express, a Google Lunar X PRIZE contender, announced that it has successfully delivered a mission design package to NASA under its Innovative Lunar Demonstration Data (ILDD) Program, providing NASA continuing data on the development of the company’s commercial lunar missions and plans to mine the Moon for precious planetary resources. The newest task order in the $10M ILDD contract called for Moon Express to provide NASA with data about the company’s progress through a Preliminary Design Checkpoint Technical Package that documents details of mission operations, spacecraft development, payload accommodations and Planetary Protection Plans.