Prospecting in space
A seeker is someone who looks for mineral deposits. In human history, gold prospectors have searched for gold, drilled for oil, and excavated land in search of various minerals locked in the ore. Seekers are often driven by the thrill of “making (a fortune) big for themselves.” They suffer the consequences of a staggering variety of risks, including costs: training, equipment, land permits, their subsistence, hiring helpers, contracting with refineries, transporting people and minerals, finding buyers, buying insurance (in case of that their work damages property). others or pollutes the environment), the maintenance and repair of health (illness or injury) and the emotional costs of the separation of the worker from the family. Who would want to take all that risk and the peculiar risks of being off planet Earth by prospecting in space? Search the web for the start-up company “Planetary Resources”. Also, read the article, Space mining reaches Earth in the December 2018 issue of Fortune magazine.
The answer is the same as the search engines of yesteryear. Someone could get rich if they persevere and overcome the costs, risks, and consequences of risks. The startup sees mining potential in asteroids. The asteroid belt is located between Jupiter and Mars. The theory that a planet was once (or was supposed to be) there could explain the orbital band of dangerous debris. Unfortunately, the belt is not between Earth and Mars, because Mars is humanity’s first planetary target for human exploration and possibly colonization. We already know that we need an alien launch source: base, water, fuel production, and other resources established as a necessary first step. Why couldn’t the raw material taken from Earth and the manufacturing of the necessary finished products support an effort in space exploration?
Perhaps it is not so unfortunate that the asteroid belt is not closer to Earth. Another theory suggests that the planet Jupiter’s gravity holds most of the space debris from the asteroid field in place. However, occasionally, asteroids collide with each other and sometimes one is ejected from its orbit. An ejected asteroid will keep moving until it hits something else or another planet’s gravity pulls it into a new orbit. So perhaps a mining company could have an opportunistically nearby asteroid if a large one approaches and remains in orbit around Earth or its moon.
The endeavors and adventures off planet Earth intrigue human beings even more than the age of sailing and its exploration by sea. However, the age of sailing was a breakthrough for humanity. The benefits and tragedies of it were staggering. I don’t see why space exploration will be any different. It must progress from an idea to an idea supported by justification with the means to do so. Maritime ships allowed the exploration and exploitation of the ocean in previous centuries. Today’s humanity has the vision, the justification and the means to emerge into the void once again. I agree that prospectors have a necessary role in space exploration. Interesting! What do you think? # TAG1writer.