Space mining startup set for launch in US

This file picture shows asteroid '243 Ida' taken by NASA in 1993
This NASA file picture, taken in 1993 from the Galileo spacecraft, shows an asteroid. A startup evidently devoted to mining asteroids for metals is to make its public debut on Tuesday in the US northwest city of Seattle, seeking to redefine the term "natural resources."

A startup evidently devoted to mining asteroids for metals is to make its public debut on Tuesday in the US northwest city of Seattle, seeking to redefine the term "natural resources."

X Prize founder Peter Diamandis and a former NASA astronaut are slated to unveil Planetary Resources, which boasts an impressive list of backers including Google co-founder Larry Page and famed film maker James Cameron.

"The company will overlay two critical sectors -- space exploration and natural resources -- to add trillions of dollars to the global GDP," Planetary Resources said in a brief release announcing the Tuesday press event in the Pacific Northwest city.

"This innovative start-up will create a new industry and a new definition of 'natural resources.'"

(c) 2012 AFP

Citation: Space mining startup set for launch in US (2012, April 21) retrieved 19 March 2024 from https://phys.org/news/2012-04-space-startup.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

Explore further

Seattle top Microsoft gaming city

0 shares

Feedback to editors