Fetch-A-Rock

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.

We discuss the feasibility of performing interplanetary mining operations on asteroids located within the Sol solar system by addressing three main concerns for conducting operations of this magnitude.

• Transport of material. That is, the requirements of bringing an asteroid into a stable earth-centric orbit.
• Powering of mining equipment.
• Diagnostic methods for probing an asteroid's material composition.

The goal of our weekend project was to build a computational model employing the necessary physics that would allow researchers to simulate the requirements of fetching an asteroid of interest. We recognize that the methods we propose to accomplishing these goals are not technologically available at this time. However, we base our discussions off of ongoing research as well as previous NASA projects designed to realize these capabilities. [1, 2]

Section 1 - Transport

Conventional methods for rocket propulsion cannot deliver the energy output required for adjusting the trajectory of celestial bodies with masses on the order of 1e18 kg - typical of asteroids within the main belt of our solar system. It is for this reason that we propose a method of pulsed nuclear propulsion for adjusting the velocity of a target asteroid, such that it can be safely brought within an earth-centric orbit. High repetition rate (10 Hz) DD fusion reactions, capable of releasing 5 TJ of energy with an efficiency ratio to usable energy of 10% are, therefore, used accomplish this need. [2]

Our simulation accurately treats the orbital mechanics of an asteroid, propelled by our F.A.R. pulsed nuclear rocket, subjected to the gravitational fields of the Earth and Moon. In addition to this, the program records the DD fuel consumption needed to bring said asteroid into a stable orbit, thereby helping to provide a cost-analysis of the desired operation.

The computational program has the capabilities of being extended to include the solar system as a whole. However, we just provide a demonstration involving the three described bodies (earth, moon, and asteroid).

Section 2 - Power

Once in a stable orbit, the fusion reactors can easily be repurposed to provide power generation for the required mining equipment.

Section 3 - Material analysis

Thermal bremsstrahlung, generated by a high-energy-density plasma (typical of a DD thermonuclear reaction), naturally lends itself as a diagnostic probe for spectroscopic analysis. High-energy photons, resulting from the `white-light` Bremsstrahlung continuum, interact with materials such that the resulting characteristic X-ray emission from the material can be used to determine its elemental composition. Spectrometers attached to the F.A.R. rocket will provide data for accomplishing this.

1. Everett, C.J.; Ulam S.M. On a Method of Propulsion of Projectiles by Means of External Nuclear Explosions. Part I. University of California, Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, August 1955
2. F. Winterberg Acta Astronautica 66 (2010)