Moon mining is getting closer to reality: Why we need global rules for extracting space resources

One small step for man, one giant lode for moon-mining robots

For Star subscribers: Swarms of autonomous robots could be mining minerals on the moon someday, and a University of Arizona team is leading the way on that goal for NASA.

Moon mining is getting closer to reality: Why we need global rules for extracting space resources

Mountains on the moon as seen by NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. (NASA/GSFC/Arizona State University)In science-fiction stories, companies often mine the moon or asteroids. While this may seem far-fetched, this idea is edging closer to becoming reality. Celestial bodies like the moon contain valuable resources, such as lunar regolith — also known as moon dust — and helium-3. These resources could serve a range of applications, including makin…

Moon Phase Tracker | Rendered in ASCII Art

Link URL: https://asciimoon.com Comments URL: https://tildes.net/~space/1owl/ascii_moon_view_and_cycle_through_the_moons_phases_rendered_in_ascii_art Votes: 7 Comments: 0

Evolution of major mineral compositions and trace element abundances during fractional crystallization of a model lunar composition

The evolution of major mineral compositions and trace element abundances during fractional crystallization of a model lunar magma ocean have been calc…

Why Space Mining Starts with the Moon

When people dream about exploring space, they often picture Mars. It’s the red planet, after all – a symbol of the future. But when it comes to something practical like space mining, Mars isn’t our first stop. That honour goes to a much closer neighbour: the Moon. More than just a glowing light in our night sky, the Moon is becoming a serious candidate for resource extraction. It’s close, relatively well-studied, and surprisingly useful when it …

Which Asteroids Are Actually Worth Mining?

When we think about mining, we picture trucks rumbling through dusty landscapes, drills carving into Earth for gold, iron, or copper. But some scientists and entrepreneurs are turning their attention to a different kind of treasure hunt – one that takes place in space, and especially on asteroids. But with millions of asteroids out there, […] The post Which Asteroids Are Actually Worth Mining? appeared first on Business APAC.