An asteroid is a terrible thing to waste

I missed a day, didn't I?  I posted something late on Sunday and then nothing all day Monday or Tuesday. This is because nothing much happened and any ideas that popped into my head wandered off into the abyss and disappeared. So many great ideas lost forever. Some of my best work never gets typed out. Possibly all of it.

So I am trying to catch up a bit. I am also trying not to think about politics. But just as the devil makes work for idle hands, politics makes work for idle minds... and my mind is nothing if not idle. I like idle... mostly. However, it is not good for a blogger.

I came across something interesting the other day. Perhaps you heard about it. There are a couple of Billionaires looking to start up a company to mine asteroids. These guys are behind selling trips into space for other rich people. Not for the rest of us, we simply can't afford the fare. I can't even afford the gas I am buying on this trip, much less the $20 Million a seat on a rocket to the International Space Station costs. I wonder if they pay extra for baggage?

The idea is automated mining operations of asteroids in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. First, an unmanned ship locates prime candidates and then it (or a follow up ship) will release some small robotic vehicles that would land on the promising asteroid and begin mining. Mining for what? That is less clear to me. Platinum is mentioned in the articles, and water. The idea is to create "depots" where ships traveling  to the outer planets, or further, could refuel in some fashion. The precious metals expected to be found are expected to provide the profit incentive and ultimately fund an ongoing operation.

Not sure I think this project will (forgive the pun) get off the ground. Possibly. But will it be successful long term? Successful enough and viable enough to draw competitors to the game?