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This. Moving stuff up and down the gravity well is expensive. Having an abundant supply of mundane metals already above that well would vastly improve launch co
by ctdonath 6y ago
This. Moving stuff up and down the gravity well is expensive. Having an abundant supply of mundane metals already above that well would vastly improve launch costs, there being much less to launch.
The trick is getting asteroid mining, transport, and refining costs under $640/lb (current Falcon Heavy to-LEO cost).
- spockz 6y agoYou don’t need to go under it per se. The supply of falcon heavy launches is still limited in both quantity and scheduling. I’m sure its price will go up when the demand increases to provide for ferrying material up.
- ctdonath 6y ago1. Supply of Heavy launches seems a matter of little demand. There’s a big enough profit margin that seems little reason to get more greedy - they WANT increased demand. 2. Competition is the issue: can we mine & deliver metals from an asteroid to LEO cheaper than lifting same out of the gravity well? 2b. Might that consideration of ground-to-orbit resources include removing materials from future terrestrial use?