Non-state companies are going to extract resources on the Moon and asteroids, develop robotics for extraterrestrial expeditions and are preparing to send the first space tourists into orbit
Space is becoming an attractive area for investment: according to the Start-Up Space report published in April 2019 by Bryce Space and Technology, private startups developing various space technologies raised $3,2 billion last year. This is about $680 million more than in 2017. 80% of all investments went to startups from the USA. Among the companies that have invested in or acquired these projects are giants such as Boeing, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Raytheon and Rolls Royce: they themselves are not up to flying, but they are in a hurry to invest in the emerging industry before their eyes.
One of the main problems hindering the development of astronautics is the high cost of delivering cargo beyond the Earth. There are different ways to solve this problem. One of them is offered by the American company Planetoid Mines Corporation. The main idea is to extract the necessary resources directly in space, process them and use them there, and not deliver them from their home planet.
“We are developing zero gravity mining equipment, mineral segmentation and processing techniques, and solid oxide fuel cell technology,” said founder and CEO Kevin Dupris. The company plans to complete work on equipment for mining in space by 2021. In 2022, the company intends to test its technologies on the moon, by 2025 – on asteroids.
Dupris sees enormous potential for mining in space: some asteroids contain hundreds of tons of valuable metals – iron, nickel, titanium, gold, etc. “Those who invest in long-term launches to the moon will need patience, but the returns from extracting resources in space will be great,” he predicts. “Once the infrastructure for offline mining is up and running, mining an asteroid worth, say, $100 trillion will provide fantastic resources for business development.”
Unlike asteroids, the Moon will be more useful for the development of astronautics itself. Planetoid Mines Corporation expects that the processing of regolith (lunar soil) into a material suitable for 3D printing will allow the creation of landing sites and underground dwellings, and ultimately spaceports and outposts, which will open up great opportunities in the next decade. According to Kevin Dupris, the extraction of water at the South Pole of the Moon will provide resources for the life support of the mission and opportunities for commercial flights. “For protection from cosmic and solar radiation, as well as from gamma radiation, a layer of water four inches thick (10 cm – ) is needed,” he says.
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