Asteroid Express

Develop an approach for characterizing the composition of asteroid for mining potential and a process for mining different compositions. Explore a possible division of labor involving different types of vehicles (e.g. sensor units, drilling units, power gathering and distribution, extracted resources handling and transferring). Consider solutions for moving said asteroids between different orbits and/or consequently make periodical adjustments to keep them in place. Analyze how your idea would cope in some of the given scenarios or outline a scheme of your own.

Mission Statement

Asteroid Express aims at defining a new mission approach for asteroid characterization and mining. Platinum Group Metals and Water are the identified targets used to select appropriate asteroid groups for the natural resources extraction. The project addresses to Asteroid Mining, one of to the Solar System challenges proposed for the NASA Space Apps Challenge 2016.

Mission Objectives

• The characterisation of asteroids composition in order to select best candidates for mining potential
• The implementation of a process for the mining of different resources in order to use them both in space and on Earth

Mission Phases

Preliminary Characterisation and Selection. The main objective is an preliminary characterisation of asteroids in order to perform an initial selection of best candidates for mining potential and establish a mining roadmap. The survey is mainly done through observations from Earth using radar, optical and IR scanning in order to determine distance, shape, brightness, spin, mass, chemical and thermal properties, and trajectory.

Detailed Characterisation. The main objective is to perform a detailed characterisation of best candidates selected in the Preliminary Characterisation Phase in order to plan the mining campaign. The survey is done through in-situ observations performed by mini-satellites equipped of istruments for distance measurements, morphology mapping, mineralogy composition.

Mining Campaign. The main objective is to perform the extraction and transportation of the resources identified during previous phases.

Official web page:

asteroidexpress.altervista.org

Social Media main links:

- FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/AsteroidExpress/

- INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/asteroid_express/