Canada could play key role in new space race to the moon

 

 

Canada could play a key role in a new space race to the moon -- one that might be described as an extra-terrestrial gold rush.

 

Industry insiders will be watching closely this week as the heads of the world's five biggest space agencies meet in Quebec City.

 

The five partners on the International Space Station will discuss the future of the orbiting space lab.

 

But they'll also address what's becoming a hot topic -- mining on the moon.

 

 

Read about here http://www.inews880.com/Channels/Reg/CyberCorner/Story.aspx?ID=1660595

 

I have 3 questions

 

 

1.How will space mining be profitable when going into space is so costly ?

 

 

2. Putting people or payload in space is extremely costly

 

 

3.How are they going to get in space go to China or Russia? ( NASA does not put people or payload in space any more ).

Private cos. have been sending up satellites for decades. The moon is just a bit further in the vacuum of space.

 

Moving large amounts of payload is very efficient if you can do most of the transport in space. The tricky part is getting it to land in a given spot without steering, etc. Then you also have to think about shielding for reentry. It isn't just a walk in the park.

1.How will space mining be profitable when going into space is so costly ?

It won't.

 

2. Putting people or payload in space is extremely costly

And that's why.

 

3.How are they going to get in space go to China or Russia? ( NASA does not put people or payload in space any more ).

The demise of the US Manned Space program has been greatly exaggerated. Hint: Dragon. While it may not be operational yet, it will have been in operation for years before any Moon Mining mission would be launching.

How will the loss of weight eventually effect the earth/moon relationship? I'd hate for the two to meet.

Edited March 1, 201213 yr by JustinW

How will the loss of weight eventually effect the earth/moon relationship?

Short of using lasers and atomic clocks and other fancy schmancy equipment.... it wouldn't.