With the first mission to bring material from the asteroid belt back to Earth underway, the longtime science-fiction staple of commercial asteroid prospecting and mining has put its “now hiring” sign out for tomorrow’s industry professionals, including those with “a solid background in orbital mechanics, asteroid astronomy, chemical engineering and patience,” says Dante Lauretta, of the University of Arizona.
How to Become an Asteroid Prospector
Key Takeaways:
- Asteroid prospecting and mining is becoming a reality, with NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission paving the way and targeting water as a crucial resource for rocket fuel in space exploration.
- Significant technological challenges, particularly navigating and operating autonomous robotic spacecraft in partial-gravity environments, are being actively addressed by research institutions like Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
- Supported by the 2015 SPACE Act, several commercial ventures are planning asteroid prospecting missions, though widespread commercial mining operations are estimated to be 10-20 years in the future.
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