A new company backed by Google’s Larry Page and Eric Schmidt has unveiled ambitious plans to mine asteroids using robots with the aim of bringing precious metals such as platinum back to earth.
Planetary Resources initially aims to search for mineral and water-rich asteroids and will send its first rockets containing miniature space craft into space on an exploratory mission within two years, Peter Diamandis, co-founder, told the Financial Times. “If you look at exploration throughout time much of it has been driven by the search for resources,” he said.
The company, which is being advised by film director and marine explorer James Cameron, was founded by Mr Diamandis and Eric Anderson. Mr Anderson’s Space Adventures group has already taken passengers paying $50m each for week-long stays at the International Space Station.