USES FOR ASTEROIDS

Asteroid Resources LLC

Mined material could be brought to Earth orbit for use as structural material,
manufacturing stock, and inert shielding of orbital facilities for long-term habitation.
The potential uses of asteroidal resources include:
Construction of solar power satellites for Earth - Asteroids are the lowest-cost
source of materials for power satellites. The satellites would reduce the number
of nuclear reactors otherwise required to sustain civilization. Their use preserves
petroleum resources, and they can be used to make clean-burning hydrogen to
reduce greenhouse gases.
Construction of factories and cities in various orbits - Factories and cities will be
essential parts of a civilization in space. The broad range of types of asteroidal
resources could almost eliminate the need to bring materials out from Earth.
Construction of large space ships - Transportation through space will be essential
for a civilization in space, so shipbuilding could become an important industry.
Asteroidal resources could provide all or most of the materials needed for ship
construction.
Construction of a solar shield to protect Earth - Located between Earth and the
Sun, the shield would reduce incident solar radiation on Earth to protect it against
greenhouse heating. Although extremely thin, the shield's large area would
require millions of tons of materials such as iron and silicates. The shield could
increase agricultural yields in a greenhouse situation by moderating
temperatures that reduce plant growth.
Source of water and propellants for space ships - Some asteroids contain up to
about 20% water by mass, which is important for use in industries and habitats,
as propellant for space ships, and for breathing oxygen.
Source of hydrocarbons - The quantity of hydrocarbons in asteroids in the inner
solar system exceeds all of the known petroleum and coal sources on Earth. The
economics of taking asteroidal hydrocarbons to the surface of Earth seem
doubtful at present, but they would be useful at facilities in space.
Source of precious metals - Asteroids contain large quantities of gold and
platinum-group precious metals. Some gold ores yield more gold than any found
on Earth.

The above listed potential uses of asteroidal resources might be developed in

coming decades. While none of these uses are certain to develop, they are consistent
with the needs of civilization on Earth and in space.
The current cost of materials of any kind taken into Earth orbit typically ranges from $7
to 10 million per metric ton. Newer low-cost orbital rockets might reduce the cost of
delivering materials from Earth by a factor of 10, to a range of $0.7 to 1 million per ton.
Bringing up 10,000 tons of material from Earth could cost $10 billion even at the lower
launch costs.
Asteroidal material can be brought to Earth orbit for costs far below the cost of
materials brought out from Earth, even at the estimated lower launch costs of the future.
This is the advantage of developing asteroids: huge cost reductions that can potentially
have a major impact on the development of space.
The people who own asteroidal resources might see very large returns on the sales of
those resources. A ton of asteroidal material brought to Earth orbit might generate
revenue of up to $1 million or greater. Even if actual prices at that future time are below
these prices, the total revenue that might be derived from a 10,000 ton lot could be quite
substantial.
As an example case, a spherical asteroid with a diameter of 1000 meters and a
mean density of 3 metric tons per cubic meter, would, for each lot of 25-square-meter
surface area, have a mass of 12,000 metric tons per lot.
Asteroid scientists estimate that over 1100 asteroids greater than 1 kilometer in size
exist in orbits that bring them close to Earth. These are of several types, with stony-iron,
carbonaceous, and iron-nickel being the main groups. They exist in orbits of differing
sizes, shapes, and orientations. Many more smaller asteroids exist in the same region
that might also be economically viable for development.
The company has already sorted through the known asteroids in the inner Solar
System to look for good candidates, but it would be premature to make a final decision
before completion of an ongoing search program that is intended to locate over 90% of
the larger asteroids. This program is being conducted by several universities and other
institutions and individuals around the world.
The company intends to sort through all of the known large asteroids, including future
discoveries, and evaluate their economic potential. The most promising asteroids will be
selected for claims.
Asteroids offer several advantages and disadvantages relative to using
resources from Earth's Moon. The lack of substantial gravity at asteroids greatly
simplifies operations and thus offers much cheaper operations. Many asteroids contain
water, up to about 20 per cent for some, while the Moon appears to lack water. Optimal
arrivals and departures at asteroids occur infrequently, a disadvantage relative to the
Moon. Overall, the costs of bringing asteroidal materials to Earth orbit is expected to be
far less expensive when done from asteroids.