Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Moon, lunar resources, space economy, space exploration - Is anyone looking up?

Have been reading Ian A. Crawford's paper and he mentions the names of several companies that have stated an interest in the lunar resources and that more information could be found at their websites so I asked Google to find some of them. 

 [ Recently, there has been renewed interest in these possibilities, with several private companies established with the stated aim of exploiting extraterrestrial resources (these include companies with the names Astrobiotic Technology, Deep Space Industries, Golden Spike, Moon Express, Planetary Resources, and Shackleton Energy Company; details may be found on their respective websites).]

Being lazy I used the whole list of names of the companies above and Google mentioned that Astrobiotic might be Astrobotic. :-)

Astrobiotic Technology, Deep Space Industries, Golden Spike, Moon Express, Planetary Resources, and Shackleton Energy Company


The first link I saw was for NewSpace (see below) and the list of company names, active and not so active is rather long.  
It looks like I have a bit of reading to do.
Let me get back to that.
Maybe you will see something of interest.

One thought, I remember back in the 1980s as new PCs were offered you often had to place an order with money to get a kit because the company needed your money to put the kit together.  Software got the name, "Vaporware" 

[In the computer industry, vaporware is a product, typically computer hardware or software, that is announced to the general public but is never actually manufactured nor officially cancelled. Use of the word has broadened to include products such as automobiles.]

We may need to watch for some of the same with those saying they are planning to go to the Moon,- soon -.  :-)

LRK.

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Lunar Resources: A Review
Ian A. Crawford
(Submitted on 25 Oct 2014)

There is growing interest in the possibility that the resource base of the Solar System might in future be used to supplement the economic resources of our own planet. As the Earth's closest celestial neighbour, the Moon is sure to feature prominently in these developments. In this paper I review what is currently known about economically exploitable resources on the Moon, while also stressing the need for continued lunar exploration. I find that, although it is difficult to identify any single lunar resource that will be sufficiently valuable to drive a lunar resource extraction industry on its own (notwithstanding claims sometimes made for the 3He isotope, which I find to be exaggerated), the Moon nevertheless does possess abundant raw materials that are of potential economic interest. These are relevant to a hierarchy of future applications, beginning with the use of lunar materials to facilitate human activities on the Moon itself, and progressing to the use of lunar resources to underpin a future industrial capability within the Earth-Moon system. In this way, gradually increasing access to lunar resources may help 'bootstrap' a space-based economy from which the world economy, and possibly also the world's environment, will ultimately benefit.

http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1410/1410.6865.pdf
Lunar Resources: A Review 
Accepted for publication in Progress in Physical Geography 

(Note that, to comply with the publisher’s policy, this preprint is the originally submitted version. The accepted peer-reviewed version, which differs from this only in minor respects and includes some additional references, is available from the author on request). 

Ian A. Crawford, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HX. 


Keywords Moon, lunar resources, space economy, space exploration 
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Help me out here.  See if there are any companies you would like to know more about and we can check with our favorite search engine.  :-)  (or as the granddaughter tells me, "Ask your phone."  :-)
- LRK -

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NewSpace
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Well take a look at what is being taught at the THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO
DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY.
- LRK -

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THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO
DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY
GEOGRAPHY 2090a (Space Exploration)
Fall 2014
COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course concerns the exploration of 'outer' space, past, present and future, and looks at many ways in which space exploration interacts with our lives and our culture. We will look at space as a place, as a newly accessible part of the domain of human activity. In ancient times Geography was the study of different lands, territories which could be reached only after undertaking a voyage. Now we can look to new lands, new continents far away, but within reach of our senses, our robots and we ourselves, if we choose to make the journey. We will look at these new places as geographers, studying their physical characteristics, their resources and hazards, and the ways we can interact with them: scientifically, politically, economically, legally, artistically, or just as interested spectators. Many of my attitudes to this subject are expressed in Carl Sagan's book Pale Blue Dot - not a text for this course, but well worth reading.
It is important to note that this is not an astronomy or planetary science class. We will look at topics related to these fields, but not in great detail. NOTE: the old designation for this course was GEOG 136.
The objective of this course is to demonstrate the wide range of human activity now associated with space, including connections to all our lives. The many links from lecture pages serve in place of a text book. Students are expected to spend time browsing among these links. It is impossible to read everything, but the lectures indicate the more important topics to be looked at. Students are expected to attend all classes, and to be suitably prepared for the in-class tests. Preparation for classes should include having read through the lecture page for that week before class.
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http://instruct.uwo.ca/geog/2090/contents.htm
Contents
http://instruct.uwo.ca/geog/2090/lectures.htm
Lectures
Lecture 9: Space commercialization: a new era
Space commercialism - a new era

Space exploration was at first so expensive that it was limited to the global superpowers of the 1960s. It cost a lot because everything was being done for the first time, and on an unrealistic schedule. But like a lot of other things, space has become much cheaper. Now many nations large and small want to launch and operate satellites for economic or security reasons, and individuals or companies want access to space for science, commerce, and even tourism. Private companies and individuals are beginning to commercialize space, and at this stage we can't tell how far they will go. Will the first people to return to the Moon be NASA astronauts, or Chinese Taikonauts, or employees of a private company?

Making money in space - big business

First, of course, no money is spent in space. Apollo went to the Moon, but all its funds were spent here - on the people who mined the iron, aluminum and titanium ores the rockets were made from, or cleaned the offices where the spacecraft were designed, as well as all the salaries of the scientists, engineers and managers. Big businesses also make money from space activities, primarily building launch vehicles or satellites for communications and remote sensing. NASA spreads its work out all over the United States so the maximum number of electoral districts depend on NASA jobs and funding. Companies like Lockheed Martin and Boeing build or operate launch vehicles, and other companies like Spot Image (now called Airbus Defence and Space), Intelsat and Digital Globe fly satellites to provide TV broadcasts or to sell images for research, press use etc. Businesses and countries around the world are part of this story, making money, or trying to, in space or from space. The links below are just a few of the many possible ones.
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Others are writing about who is doing what so when I get distracted just ask your search engine and wake me up with a link or two that you found interesting. Some of you have been doing that for years and much appreciated.
- LRK -

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Private Sector Seeks Profit, Adventure Beyond Earth Orbit

Posted
by Doug Messier

on February 25, 2013, at 9:42 am

in News
Tags: asteroids, deep space industries, eric anderson, eric schmidt, esther dyson, golden spike company, google, google lunar x prize, inspiration mars foundation, jim french, larry page, mars, mars one, max vozoff, moon, northrop grumman, peter diamandis, planetary resources, rick tumlinson, ross perot jr., shackleton energy company, soyuz, space adventures.

By Douglas Messier
Parabolic Arc Managing Editor

With human flights beyond Earth orbit not expected to occur for at least eight years, the private sector is increasingly eying deep space for a series of ambitious robotic and human missions for both adventure and profit.

Nine programs are currently underway that include robotic and human landings of the moon, human flybys of the moon and Mars, the mining of the moon and asteroids, and even a settlement on Mars. Backers of these initiatives include the X Prize Foundation, Google and its executives, and the world’s first space tourist, Dennis Tito.

The table below show the deep space initiatives now being pursued by the private sector.
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A lot of reading to do to see just what is happening in the now.  It may be that others that are a bit younger will be the ones to actually see the boots on the Moon again, but robots will do for now.  That I may see. Anyone ready to launch?

Thanks for looking up with me.
- LRK -
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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK -
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Monday, June 29, 2015

Moon, lunar resources, space economy, space exploration - Is Moon Mining Economically Feasible?

Are we there yet?  You know, the questions from the back seat of your car while on the long journey to grandma"s.

We have been to Thailand for a month and a half, to Washington State for my mom's passing on April 15th (tax day here), then back to a memorial service a month later. Off to Washington D.C. / Virginia for grandson's high school graduation, and then down to Santa Cruz for granddaughter's college graduation.

Sorry, non of that has anything to do with going back to the Moon but others are still looking up.  Only so much can be done in orbit and more eyes on the lunar surface would be good to help give us ground truth as to what might be of found to be of economical value.

How do you sell the idea that a profit might be made on the Moon? How do you generate a long term interest in developing the lunar resources?

LRK.

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Is Moon Mining Economically Feasible?
by Leonard David, Space.com's Space Insider Columnist   |   January 07, 2015 07:11am ET

The moon may offer pay dirt with a rewarding mother lode of resources, a celestial gift that is literally up for grabs. But what's really there for the taking, and at what cost?
A new assessment of whether or not there's an economic case for miningthe moon has been put forward by Ian Crawford, a professor of planetary science and astrobiology at Birkbeck College, London. His appraisal is to appear in a forthcoming issue of the journal Progress in Physical Geography.
Crawford said it's hard to identify any single lunar resource that will be sufficiently valuable to drive a lunar resource extraction industry on its own. Nonetheless, he said the moon does possess abundant raw materials that are of potential economic interest. [Home On the Moon: How to Build a Lunar Colony (Infographic)]

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Many science fiction stories have been written about using the Moon.  Some for a military high ground, some for economic profit, some just to expand on where we might go as a life form that wishes to survive here, there, and everywhere.
- LRK -

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Lunar Resources: A Review

(Submitted on 25 Oct 2014)
There is growing interest in the possibility that the resource base of the Solar System might in future be used to supplement the economic resources of our own planet. As the Earth's closest celestial neighbour, the Moon is sure to feature prominently in these developments. In this paper I review what is currently known about economically exploitable resources on the Moon, while also stressing the need for continued lunar exploration. I find that, although it is difficult to identify any single lunar resource that will be sufficiently valuable to drive a lunar resource extraction industry on its own (notwithstanding claims sometimes made for the 3He isotope, which I find to be exaggerated), the Moon nevertheless does possess abundant raw materials that are of potential economic interest. These are relevant to a hierarchy of future applications, beginning with the use of lunar materials to facilitate human activities on the Moon itself, and progressing to the use of lunar resources to underpin a future industrial capability within the Earth-Moon system. In this way, gradually increasing access to lunar resources may help 'bootstrap' a space-based economy from which the world economy, and possibly also the world's environment, will ultimately benefit.

Lunar Resources: A Review 
Accepted for publication in Progress in Physical Geography 

(Note that, to comply with the publisher’s policy, this preprint is the originally submitted version. The accepted peer-reviewed version, which differs from this only in minor respects and includes some additional references, is available from the author on request). 

Ian A. Crawford, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HX. 


Abstract

There is growing interest in the possibility that the resource base of the Solar System might in future be used to supplement the economic resources of our own planet. As the Earth’s closest celestial neighbour, the Moon is sure to feature prominently in these developments. In this paper I review what is currently known about economically exploitable resources on the Moon, while also stressing the need for continued lunar exploration. I find that, although it is difficult to identify any single lunar resource that will be sufficiently valuable to drive a lunar resource extraction industry on its own (notwithstanding claims sometimes made for the 3He isotope, which I find to be exaggerated), the Moon nevertheless does possess abundant raw materials that are of potential economic interest. These are relevant to a hierarchy of future applications, beginning with the use of lunar materials to facilitate human activities on the Moon itself, and progressing to the use of lunar resources to underpin a future industrial capability within the Earth-Moon system. In this way, gradually increasing access to lunar resources may help ‘bootstrap’ a space-based economy from which the world economy, and possibly also the world’s environment, will ultimately benefit. 

Keywords Moon, lunar resources, space economy, space exploration 
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NASA Moon with Labels


- LRK -

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Why we should mine the moon
November 28, 2014 12.08pm EST

To date, all human economic activity has depended on the material and energy resources of a single planet; understandably, perhaps. It is conceivable though that future advances in space exploration could change this by opening our closed planetary economy to essentially unlimited external resources of energy and raw materials.
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We have been told that as more and more humans inhabit Earth we may reach a point where the natural resources we can dig out of the ground will be exhausted, then we find a new source and life goes on.  Will we really need the lunar resources?  Will they help to get us to other planets and will there be sufficient motivation to make it happen?
- LRK -

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NASA Is Studying How to Mine the Moon for Water
By Mike Wall, Senior Writer   |   October 09, 2014 07:00am ET

There's a lot of water on the moon, and NASA wants to learn how to mine it.

Space agency scientists are developing two separate mission concepts to assess, and learn how to exploit, stores of water ice on the moon  and other lunar resources. The projects — called Lunar Flashlight and the Resource Prospector Mission — are notionally targeted to blast off in 2017 and 2018, respectively, and aim to help humanity extend its footprint out into the solar system.
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There still is interest in finding ways to fund missions to the Moon that don't require a lot of government money. (which seem to be harder to come by)
Take a look at what the folks in the UK have come up with.  Hmm, in ten years I will be 87 years.  I hope I live as long as mom did.  Would really like to see what we can do if we set our mind to it.
- LRK -

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UK 'to lead moon landing' funded by public contributions

By Pallab GhoshScience correspondent, BBC News19 November 2014
From the section Science & Environment

A British-led consortium has outlined its plans to land a robotic probe on the Moon in 10 years' time.

Its aim is to raise £500m for the project from donations by the public.

In return, donors would be able to have photos, text and their DNA included in a time capsule which will be buried under the lunar surface.

Lunar Mission One aims to survey the Moon's south pole to see if a human base can be set up in the future.

The plan has received the endorsement of a host of well-known scientists and organisations. These include Prof Brian Cox, the Astronomer Royal Lord Rees, and Prof Monica Grady of the Open University.

David Iron, who is leading the project, said he was setting up the initiative because governments were increasingly finding it difficult to fund space missions.

"Anyone in the world will be able to get involved for as little as just a few pounds. Lunar Mission One will make a huge contribution to our understanding of the origins of our planet and the Moon," he said.
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Do the articles give you enough reason to help expand on some crowd sourcing plan?  Is it worth going to the Moon if you are the one paying for it? What do you want to get out of it?  Is it enough to have your DNA on the Moon?  Should we be looking for DNA from space in some cold trap.  Would lord of the rings find Precious there?

Thanks for looking up with me.
- LRK -

WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK -

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