The company Planetary Resources, intend to develop asteroids, will launch its first satellite in June

In 2009, the company was founded Planetary Resources, which announced its intention to extract minerals from the asteroids that are close to the Earth. This extract resources are not people, and robots that will explore objects, rich in water and the platinum group elements (perhaps produced will be other elements).

Recall that the main investors of the company are Larry Page and Eric Schmidt, and a few other investors. About the company Not much is known - whether the company itself spins slower pace, or just the current one does not advertise a job. In the past year, however, companies are not lucky - she had lost its first satellite, Arkyd-3, due to the explosion Antares.



The апреле the company sent its new satellite the ISS. This system is called Arkyd r Reflight. The satellite will be delivered to the ISS at the beginning, and then, in July, he will be sent into space. However, this satellite to study the asteroids will not. Within 3 months the unit will carry out internal diagnostics, and then falls back to Earth.



If all goes well, in December it will be launched Arkyd 6, with a set of scientific instruments. The unit will produce standard 6U CubeSat, and be equipped with modules for space exploration. According to the developers, the satellite will be able to study both the near-Earth space, and deep space - it is equipped with everything necessary for such work.

If this test is completed successfully, the company will send several of his companions to asteroids, to explore the surrounding objects. Perhaps the purpose of such launches - detect asteroids-rich elements, which will be produced in the future.

Source: geektimes.ru/post/250038/