A startup called Planetary Resources has announced ambitious plans to survey asteroids and ultimately mine them for water that could be converted to the liquid hydrogen and oxygen needed to refuel spacecraft in orbit.
The company intends to begin by launching a series of small satellites into Earth orbit with telescopes and instruments to study near-Earth asteroids and identify the most promising candidates for later prospecting missions. The first of these Arkyd-101 satellites, currently under development, will launch within two years, probably hitching a ride into orbit on a larger satellite's launch, the company announced at a press conference held at the Museum of Flight in Seattle today.
To read the full, original article click on this link: Asteroids Could Be Mined for Fuel, Says Company - Technology Review
