Despite the economic potential of the asteroid Psyche, estimated at US$10.000 quadrillion due to its metallic composition, space mining faces technological, logistical and economic challenges that prevent its exploration at the present time.
The mission NASA Psyche, launched on October 13, 2023, has an ambitious goal: to explore the asteroid 16 Psyche. Located millions of kilometers from Earth, the celestial body is rich in precious metals, such as platinum and palladium.
Its value is estimated to exceed $100.000 quadrillion. This space treasure could provide valuable clues about the nuclei planetary and pave the way for extraterrestrial mining.
The encounter with the asteroid is scheduled for 2029. Until then, the mission will accumulate crucial data on the composition of the psyche, offering an unprecedented opportunity to understand more about the early Solar System and the economic potential beyond Earth.
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Challenges of mining in space
Asteroid mining is a possible but distant dream. The necessary technology exists, but faces practical limitations.
Equipment needs to be adapted for low gravity and intense radiation environments, in addition to operating autonomously.
This is because communication with Earth can take up to 20 minutes, depending on the location of the asteroid.
On NASA's Technology Readiness Index, which ranges from 1 to 9, space mining tools currently fall between levels 3 and 5. For real missions, they would need to reach levels 6 or 7.
Funding is also a major hurdle. Private companies such as AstroForge and TransAstra have already expressed interest, but the high costs of transforming laboratory technologies into real-world operations still limit progress.
Experts believe that small-scale mining could begin within five years if the necessary investment is secured.
Bringing materials from these asteroids to Earth, however, may not be economically viable. Transportation costs are high, and prices for precious metals such as platinum tend to fall as supply increases.
On the other hand, resources such as water extracted from asteroids could be used to produce space fuel, enabling even deeper explorations.
Focus on exploration
Meanwhile, space exploration is taking off. The Moon, for example, also contains valuable resources, albeit in smaller concentrations.
The advantage of the Moon is its proximity: missions take days, not years, to reach it. Still, asteroids like Psyche continue to attract attention for their high metal content and economic potential.
Current missions, however, have a scientific focus. NASA's OSIRIS-REx recently returned samples from the asteroid Bennu.
Earlier, Japan's Hayabusa2 returned with material from Ryugu. The European Space Agency also plans to study asteroids, but with a focus on planetary defense.
Asteroids represent a window into the Solar System's past, as well as potential resources for the future.
Although there are technologies capable of mining them, progress depends on financial support and political decisions that transform the dream into reality.
How foolish… Concerned and focused on extraterrestrial “life”, while humanity dies of starvation in an irreparable self-destruction.