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ProspectorX

Space is total of wonder and take chances, simply there are also more tangible riches in the form of gilded and platinum locked upward inside asteroids. Several groups are working on plans to capture and mine asteroids for their mineral wealth, and maybe even turn them into refueling depots for deep space missions. I such company called Deep Space Industries (DSI) has partnered with the government of Luxembourg to pattern and deploy an asteroid hunting spacecraft chosen Prospector-X.

The probe is expected to launch soon, just there isn't a specific appointment. In this case, that'southward not necessarily a problem. DSI doesn't demand to work on securing a dedicated launch vehicle because Prospector-10 is modest and built on the CubeSat standard. Specifically, it will be a 3U spacecraft, meaning it takes upward three CubeSat units when packed for launch. Each one is roughly 10cm on a side, so the Prospector-X will exist 30cm long — virtually the size of a loaf of bread.

Prospector-Ten won't really exist visiting any asteroids — information technology's destined to spend its time in low-Earth orbit to test the systems DSI is designing. Well, let's promise it doesn't get upwards shut and personal with any asteroids in low-Globe orbit. Prospector-10 will nix around in space, testing navigation, propulsion, and avionics technologies that DSI plans to apply when it locates and mines asteroids. The probe includes a dual-camera optical navigation system and an electrothermal thruster that uses water as a propellant.

ProspectorX

Deep Space Industries is non the only company taking steps toward mining asteroids. Planetary Resources is a more well-known player in this space, and it managed to launch a similar exam satellite last twelvemonth called the Arkyd 3R from the International Space Station. Neither company has the technology to actually mine an asteroid yet, but the hurdles are non only technological, they're legal too.

The Outer Space Treaty of 1967 banned countries from putting weapons of mass destruction into space, but also prohibits "claims of sovereignty." Does staking a claim to an asteroid for mining purposes count as a "claim of sovereignty?" That's non entirely clear, but the treaty also includes a section that guarantees space will "be free for exploration and utilise past all States." If mining counts as exploration, you're all good. The US government has already taken action by passing the Infinite Act of 2015. That affirmed that companies could own the resources they extract from asteroids. Now DSI but has to mine some.