Dr. Laszlo Kestay gives talk on Mining Asteroids tomorrow

Have you been dozing? Mining natural resources from comets, asteroids, and planetary bodies in our solar system departed sci-fi status a while ago. Space Mining has been on the science agenda to address depleting natural resources on Earth and to expand our future in space. Hear from Dr. Laszlo Kestay between 5-6 p.m. at Lowell, on Tuesday, Sept. 25, and discover what you have been missing, and how far this plan has progressed.

 Image Credit: NASA

Recent News Regarding Space Mining

Dr. Kestay's Abstract (below) from Feasibility Study for the Quantitative Assessment of Mineral Resources in Asteroids:

This study was undertaken to determine if the U.S. Geological Survey’s process for conducting mineral resource assessments on Earth can be applied to asteroids. Successful completion of the assessment, using water and iron resources to test the workflow, has resulted in identification of the minimal adjustments required to conduct full resource assessments beyond Earth. We also identify the types of future studies that would greatly reduce uncertainties in an actual future assessment. Whereas this is a feasibility study and does not include a complete and robust analysis of uncertainty, it is clear that the water and metal resources in near-Earth asteroids are sufficient to support humanity should it become a fully space-faring species.

By Janet Richie