Maybe that's the reason why we don't hear about other civilizations: every one of them has started asteroid mining until some less intelligent CEO figures that working with them at the orbit and dropping results at ground costs too much and gives order to "just drop it whole onto ground. We do mining there". BOOOOM!!
It's been estimated that the precious metal and rare earth content of a single 1-mi. diameter nickle-iron asteroid in Earth orbit would be about $7 quadrillion, or $1 million per capita for the planet. Most of it already separated and relatively easy to extract.
Of course that much precious and rare earth metals would cause them not being rare or precious anymore...
Gold, platinum etc have uses even when they lose their mainly artificial monetary values though. Platinum is great element for many chemical uses, and gold is great conductor and has plenty of other uses and so on. Obviously nickel-iron asteroid is mostly nickel and iron, so those would be plentiful (just one big nickel-iron asteroid contains more of those than humankind would need for several thousand years with current consumption levels).
"Except where Boeing/Lockheed are protected by egregious contracts, SpaceX wins the competition hands-down."
"We're getting better faster; our pace of innovation is increasing."
Just watched Dragon fly under ISS, as they crossed over S.A., birthplace of E.M. Switch-on of strobe light was successful, but it's too bright sunlight to see it yet. Another half hour or less it should be dark enough.
May 31, Thursday
3:30 a.m. – Coverage of the SpaceX/Dragon Unberthing from the ISS – JSC (All Channels)
10:15 a.m. – Coverage of the SpaceX/Dragon Deorbit Burn and Pacific Ocean Splashdown – JSC (All Channels)
Doing the 'teasers'; visually about a vehicle length off target at about 250m distance, so (?) approach - hold operation has been altered slightly to hold at 235 instead of coming to 220 meters then withdrawing to 250.
Delay for a while while CAPCOM examines thermal imagery (from Dragon aiming camera).
Extra holds at 200meters and 150 meters, for IR/LIDAR synching. Docking to be somewhat delayed. Near an orbital sunset, may fiddle with timing and lighting so visibility is good.
Long hold was in place while they figgered out the LIDAR problem. Turned out to be a reflector on the Japanese module which was confusing the system. They narrowed the beam focus to avoid it. Now setting up for the 10 meter approach.
Comments
And there are lots of them.
Gold, platinum etc have uses even when they lose their mainly artificial monetary values though. Platinum is great element for many chemical uses, and gold is great conductor and has plenty of other uses and so on. Obviously nickel-iron asteroid is mostly nickel and iron, so those would be plentiful (just one big nickel-iron asteroid contains more of those than humankind would need for several thousand years with current consumption levels).
>|:(
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/04/elon-musk-hangout/
"We're getting better faster; our pace of innovation is increasing."
http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20120510
Trying to get a camera focused on it at the moment.
May 25, Friday
2 a.m. - SpaceX/Dragon ISS Grapple and Berthing Coverage - JSC (All Channels)
1 p.m. - SpaceX/Dragon Mission Status Briefing (Time subject to change) - JSC (All Channels)
May 26, Saturday
5:30 a.m. - SpaceX/Dragon Hatch Opening Coverage - JSC (All Channels)
11:25 a.m. - ISS Expedition 31 Post-SpaceX/Dragon Hatch Opening Crew News Conference - JSC (All Channels)
May 31, Thursday
3:30 a.m. – Coverage of the SpaceX/Dragon Unberthing from the ISS – JSC (All Channels)
10:15 a.m. – Coverage of the SpaceX/Dragon Deorbit Burn and Pacific Ocean Splashdown – JSC (All Channels)
Delay for a while while CAPCOM examines thermal imagery (from Dragon aiming camera).