Want to earn a college degree in mining in space? You can!
Capitalism in space: Link here.
Classes begin Aug. 20 for the first 35 students enrolled in the program. With courses held online, students around the world can earn a post-baccalaureate certificate, master’s degree, or doctorate focused on finding and pulling resources from space.
Many asteroids and nearby planets contain rare platinum-group metals and industrial metals like iron and nickel that are needed for building exploration infrastructure. Right now, though, the most sought-after resource in space is one that is actually quite abundant on the Blue Planet. “If you think about it, water in space would be the oil of space, because that is going to power and transport, give us energy, enable the whole space economy and allow us to keep going further and further,” Abbud-Madrid said. “Such an elemental product as water would be the first one we go after.”
It can be argued that this is premature. It can also be argued that the time is coming, and knowing more about the resources in space can be an advantage in the competitive free market.
Hat tip Robert Pratt of Pratt on Texas.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon or from any other book seller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for purchasing details. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Capitalism in space: Link here.
Classes begin Aug. 20 for the first 35 students enrolled in the program. With courses held online, students around the world can earn a post-baccalaureate certificate, master’s degree, or doctorate focused on finding and pulling resources from space.
Many asteroids and nearby planets contain rare platinum-group metals and industrial metals like iron and nickel that are needed for building exploration infrastructure. Right now, though, the most sought-after resource in space is one that is actually quite abundant on the Blue Planet. “If you think about it, water in space would be the oil of space, because that is going to power and transport, give us energy, enable the whole space economy and allow us to keep going further and further,” Abbud-Madrid said. “Such an elemental product as water would be the first one we go after.”
It can be argued that this is premature. It can also be argued that the time is coming, and knowing more about the resources in space can be an advantage in the competitive free market.
Hat tip Robert Pratt of Pratt on Texas.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon or from any other book seller. If you want an autographed copy the price is $60 for the hardback and $45 for the paperback, plus $8 shipping for each. Go here for purchasing details. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
“Although Lange raises tough questions, Abbud-Madrid has tapped him to teach in the Space Resources program because to succeed any mining project – whether on Earth or the moon – must consider its investors and customers.”
I am not familiar with the college campus culture at the Colorado School of Mines but this capitalist perspective gives this a chance of being successful. I fear the higher ups in the University system might squash the for profit aspect out of the curriculum.
Gary M,
Just from reading their website, I find myself very impressed!
http://www.mines.edu
Colorado School of Mines, or just “Mines” as it is often called, is an outstanding public engineering school. They have a strong emphasis on earth science including mining and petroleum exploration. Students are taught a great deal about profitability and the economics of engineering. That’s capitalism at its finest.
Read about some of the unique Mines traditions here https://www.mines.edu/about/history-and-traditions/
Gary M / MarcusZ1967–
It’s an actual engineering-school and one of the top mining schools in the world.
Colorado School of Mines
Jack Leg Patty 2013
https://youtu.be/O1kBRtIAaGE
3:03
I took a bit of time and looked at the links guys. Yup looks like the real deal first class engineering school with a ton of history I was not aware of. Mark me impressed too.
Since everything is so theoretical at this point, advance degrees seem uncalled for.
let’s go for a drive….
Driving the Eisenhower Pass (I-70) in Colorado
https://youtu.be/iLSRVaqG5-o
4:44
The further into the future it is to be realized, the more important is it to start out now now now! Roaaarrr! :-)
I like this lecture by a mining researcher (Leslie Gertsch) who lines up the huge problems, compared with traditional mining on Earth. No gravity (to crush rocks), no water (to transport stuff). Putting a Caterpillar on an asteroid wouldn’t do any good. This is a completely new kind of business. Rio Tinto better look out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2UV_rVIS10
LocalFluff–
good stuff.
I rather think the focus of “mining” in Space is going to initially revolve around Aggregate’s, (i.e. ‘sand & gravel,’ and ice in particular,) mined in place, and immediately used (with the least processing possible) for basic survival. Harvesting tons of platinum in Space sounds great, but it’s never (never ever) coming back to the Earth.
Outland
1981 (opening excerpt)
https://youtu.be/-J8mOOtS7XI
9:00
LocalFluff-
Agree! Good stuff for 2014.
Cat/NASA has been working together since 2004-07 time.
https://www.caterpillar.com/en/news/caterpillarNews/innovation/nasa-caterpillar-collaboration-for-technology-advancement.html
https://www.universetoday.com/12234/heavy-construction-on-the-moon/
MarcusZ1967–
followed some links, from your links…
Northstar Robotics
2018 NASA RMC Competition Run #1
https://youtu.be/GVxPgkX-MbU
15:00
wayne,
The students in your linked Robotic Mining Competition video demonstrated an important lesson in how difficult it is when the hardware is completely inaccessible. The Minnesota team lost their conveyor belt almost immediately with the first bucket load of crushed volcanic rock, and the Utah students lost the entire robot almost immediately to being stuck in the sandy soil.
The Spirit Mars rover fell victim to a fate similar to the Utah robot. Problems that might easily be corrected, if people were there, can be the bane of planetary research. Curiosity’s drill problem may be an easy fix, if Curiosity were accessible, but it has reduced the amount of science that Curiosity is capable of. China’s Yutu lunar rover also succumbed to trouble early in its mission.
The school of hard knocks teaches not only students but rocket scientists and rover engineers, too.