Space Mining; What Would It Involve...

[PunkMaister]

I made this thread because I find it remarkably interesting since a member here is proposing that Space should be solely focused on mining.

But is just not a matter of taking a pick-axe and start chopping down space rocks. Such an endeavor will take quite a bit of surveying, probing and testing. First there is the fact that a lot of the asteroids out there are stony and a lot are not even solid but clumps of space dust and rocks held together by gravity.

Obviously the ones we would want are the metallic ones. So we need to find and identify all asteroids that are suitable for mining. Then we need to find a way to tow them to near Earth orbit safely where then they can be mined.

Now this is tricky and there is no margin for error, if there is you end up sending an asteroid down Earth's throat and making Earth have a repeat of the event that killed the dinosaurs. Ironically this towing method could be used to deflect dangerous near Earth objects should they be found in time.

But most important we need a a way to escape Earth gravity cheaply, safely and efficiently and standard surface to orbit rockets are not up to the task.

Elevators to space seem more practical for this scenario.

And last but not least it would have to be a venture that involves both the private sector and the government. As much as the one who proposes this hates freedom, libertarianism and capitalism. The government will not be able to pull all this on it's own alone.