Asteroid Mining « AmericaSpace

Asteroid-Bound OSIRIS-REx Arrives at NASA Kennedy for September Launch

By Talia Landman, on May 26th, 2016

OSIRIS-REx uncrating at the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA Kennedy. Credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

NASA’s first asteroid sampling spacecraft, OSIRIS-REx, arrived at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Friday, May 20. The spacecraft is set to undergo a series of tests and final preparations to ready it for a September launch to […]

NASA Seeks American Industry Ideas on Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission Spacecraft Design

By Talia Landman, on October 27th, 2015

Artist’s concept of NASA’s Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission capturing an asteroid boulder before redirecting it to an astronaut-accessible orbit around Earth’s moon.Caption and Credits: NASA

NASA’s Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) plans to send a robotic spacecraft to a near-Earth asteroid to pluck a boulder off the surface and move it into a stable […]

NASA Goes With 'Option B' for Future Asteroid Redirect Mission

By Talia Landman, on March 27th, 2015

The Asteroid Redirect Vehicle, part of NASA’s Asteroid Initiative concept, is shown traveling to lunar orbit using its solar electric propulsion system in this artist’s concept. Image credit: NASA

Asteroids are getting a lot of attention, today in particular, because asteroid 2014 YB35 will be coming within 0.03 Astronomical Units (AU) of Earth. […]

Partnerships Make Missions Possible

By NASA, on September 8th, 2013

A team of technicians at Textron Defense Systems apply Avcoat ablative material to the composite honeycomb structure attached to the Orion heat shield carrier structure. The ablative material is designed to protect the spacecraft from extreme temperatures during re-entry.Image Credit: NASA

A relationship that began more than 50 years ago between NASA and […]

On the Heels of Its Grand Challenge, NASA Selects 96 Ideas for Asteroid Initiative

By Emily Carney, on September 5th, 2013

Crewed missions to asteroids and near-Earth objects are slated to take place utilizing the Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle. NASA announced that 96 ideas are being considered to make such a mission happen. Image Credit: NASA

NASA announced on Wednesday, Sept. 4 that it has chosen 96 concepts […]

New Era in Space Exploration? Planetary Resources Crowdfunded Arkyd Space Telescope Reaches Goal

By David Darling, on July 9th, 2013

Image Credit: Planetary Resources

After a month-long campaign, Planetary Resources, Inc., a company with its eye on mining asteroids, reached its goal on Sunday, June 30 of raising $1.5 million through crowdfunding. The money, pledged by 17,600 supporters through the Kickstarter website, will go toward launching the world’s first public-use space telescope—Arkyd. Due […]

Orion Fairing Test Encounters Problem

By Jason Rhian, on June 13th, 2013

The Orion service module fairing panels fall into the Fairing Catch Systems after being jettisoned via Separation Strut/Ordnance actuations. Photo Credit: NASA

At first blush, the fairing of the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) might not seem to be a vital piece of equipment; however, it is crucial. NASA is currently testing the […]

Orion Spacecraft Cool Under Pressure

By Jason Rhian, on June 7th, 2013

NASA has addressed issues that Orion has encountered during testing and has also conducted new tests that move Orion closer to launch next year. Photo CredIt: Jim Grossman / NASA

The Orion spacecraft at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida has undergone extensive testing to prepare it for its first flight, currently scheduled […]

What Might NASA's Mission to Snag Asteroid Look Like?

By Jason Rhian, on April 12th, 2013

[youtube_video]http://youtu.be/hstKzxqn29c[/youtube_video]

Video courtesy of NASA

The recent announcement that $100 million had been earmarked in the White House’s FY 2014 Budget Proposal Request to send an unmanned probe to an asteroid and have it transported back to lunar orbit to be studied by astronauts has generated a lot of buzz. What would such […]

On @ The 90: How Mission to Capture Asteroid Could Change NASA

By Jason Rhian, on April 9th, 2013

Could a new initiative proposed in the FY 2014 Budget Proposal make space exploration a highly profitable endeavor? Image Credit: NASA

In April 2010, President Obama announced a plan that, at the time, received a rather tepid response. This was the president’s announcement that NASA would conduct a mission to an asteroid. The […]

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