Most people don't realize that the major cost of a launch is labor. Fuel is less than 2%, while the standing army of people and infrastructure is well over 80%.

Most people don't realize that the major cost of a launch is labor. Fuel is less than 2%, while the standing army of people and infrastructure is well over 80%. Rather interesting that. I'd always thought the main expense was fuel. I still think it's a long way off, it's not enough for a half kilometer wide asteroid to be worth $20 trillion, the minerals within have to be less expensive than earth bound alternatives.