# Space Miners Will Bring "Trillions of Dollars" to Earth

**URL:** <https://forums.speedlife.net/t/space-miners-will-bring-trillions-of-dollars-to-earth/263511>\
**Category:** Shift518 Off Topic\
**Created:** [April 24, 2012, 3:25pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/space-miners-will-bring-trillions-of-dollars-to-earth/263511 "2012-04-24T15:25:05Z")\
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**Author:** ![Oleg](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/oleg/32/6276_2.png) [@Oleg](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Oleg)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2012, 7:05pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/space-miners-will-bring-trillions-of-dollars-to-earth/263511/14 "2012-04-27T19:05:30Z")

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> [@To those who care.](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/to-those-who-care/49328/33):
>
> I can see us actually landing on and mining an asteroid within the next 25 years. what I do not see(being cost effective) is actually getting the ore/materials back down here on solid ground. It takes TREMENDOUS power to launch just a bitty shuttle into space with minimal cargo(in todays transport standards).
> 
> Let’s say they go up for gold. How cost effective is it going to be bring back, lets say a 1/2 ton of refined gold ore? Would have to be refined up there to be cost effective as brining back unrefined rock or would be stupid. Unless they plan on running a docking station with the largest garabage shut this site of the galaxy back down to earth :lol
> 
> Potential is there, probably not in the next 50-75 years though.

There are relatively “easy” ways to do it.  
Off the top of my head: putting the payload into low orbit fitted with a simple glider, or a parachute + a couple small boosters and controller to guide it, same as they landed space capsules. Or simply launch it down at your landing site after outfitting it with some ablative shield made out of waste material (chunk of asteroid) which will burn up on re-entry leaving the payload mostly intact, just collect it from the crash site. I suppose ideally they’d make a space elevator, but that’s currently still in the scifi realm, can’t make carbon nanotube trusses of any length yet.

BTW, that cute little collage they made for the article with a tiny piece of meteorite as an asteroid is hilarious :rofl

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