Debug: Database connection successful Business Opportunity Popsicle Asteroid Mining / Business Proposals / New Mars Forums

New Mars Forums

Official discussion forum of The Mars Society and MarsNews.com

You are not logged in.

Announcement

Announcement: This forum is accepting new registrations via email. Please see Recruiting Topic for additional information. Write newmarsmember[at_symbol]gmail.com.

#1 Yesterday 07:07:25

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 22,732

Business Opportunity Popsicle Asteroid Mining

This topic is about a form of asteroid mining discussed at length in other topics.

The method is intended for rubble pile asteroids, which are too large to be collected in a single bag or similar enclosure.

Palomar created a topic about a giant popsicle which provides an example of the scale I have in mind.

https://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=854

The asteroid mining vessel would gently create an opening for the water extrusion pole by drilling slowly to open a passage without creating significant disturbance.

Once the opening is large and long enough, the mining vessel would gently insert the extrusion pole into the opening.

When the pole is fully inserted, the mining vessel would direct liquid water into the pole, and that water would exit through myriad holes in the wall of the pole. The water would flow (while still liquid) into the spaces between particles of the asteroid, and it would eventually freeze solid, in the shape of the giant popsicle described in Palomar's topic.

The mining vessel would then gently pull the Popsicle out of the asteroid, and deliver it to a collection point.

At the collection point, the mass would be heated to release the water for re-use, and the remainder of the collected material would be bundled for shipment.   it might turn out to be cost effective to simply deliver the entire collection to Earth orbit for the heating process.

This topic is available for NewMars members who might wish to provide links, images or text to support this initiative.

(th)

Offline

Like button can go here

#2 Yesterday 07:08:57

tahanson43206
Moderator
Registered: 2018-04-27
Posts: 22,732

Re: Business Opportunity Popsicle Asteroid Mining

This post is reserved for an index to posts that may be contributed by NewMars members.

(th)

Offline

Like button can go here

Board footer

Powered by FluxBB