The Asteroid Belt range in size from around half a mile across to about 600 miles in diameter, and were created at the birth of the Solar System, 4.6 billion years ago. The asteroid belt, between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, seems to be the most viable option. Mars has a similar composition (albeit in different quantities), causing us to look further afield for raw materials. While these elements are useful, they’re not predicted to be in short supply any time soon and the Moon lacks the other materials we need. Perhaps surprisingly, the Moon’s crust is 60% oxygen (more than the Earth), with silicon, aluminum, calcium, magnesium, iron, and titanium accounting for the vast majority of the rest. Besides cutting down on production or developing artificial alternatives, what other solutions are available?įor that, we must turn our attention to the stars and to the nearby worlds within our own solar system. Our consumption from the Earth’s natural sources of some of these metals – for example, tin, lead, silver, gold, and copper – is now so great that it’s thought the Earth’s supplies could be depleted before the end of the century. So why, where, and how, would we mine the asteroids? Why Mine the Asteroids? The asteroids, in particular, could become an invaluable source for precious metals and minerals that are becoming rare on Earth. While previous expeditions have almost all been in the name of science, there’s now another incentive for private companies to return. We’ve been to the Moon and we’ve explored the planets and asteroids, but some have plans to do far more than simply visit these distant places.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |