Asteroid Mining Project Overview

Shen Ge, Neha Satak, and Hyerim Kim

Outline

Mission

Work Breakdown Structure

Specialties

Work Schedule

Technical Overview

Space Economics

Astrodynamics

Questions & Answers

Mission

In two months, uncover a basic mission to

mine a target asteroid based on science,

engineering and economics.

Work Breakdown Structure

Mining Engineer:

Houshin Nejati

Astrodynamics:

Prasanna

Deshapriya

Geologist:

Jun Huang

Economist:

Kai Duerfeld

Mining & Systems:

Simeon Adebola

Economics & Art:

Diana Mutascu

Propulsion:

Shail Satak

Geologist:

Jayashree Sridhar

Project Manager:

Shen Ge

Project Manager:

Neha Satak

Project Manager:

Hyerim Kim

System Engineer:

Kiran Tikare

Specialties

Person Primary Specialty Secondary Specialty

Shen Ge Spacecraft design System engineering

Neha Satak Space economics Astrodynamics

Hyerim Kim Astrodynamics Spacecraft design

Houshin Nejati Mining Robots –

Microwave Drilling

Mining Robots – Other

Simeon Adebola Mining Robots – Mobility System engineering

Kiran Tikare System engineering Information technology

Jun Huang Planetary geology – Moon Planetary geology –

asteroids

Jayashree Sridhar Planetary geology Astrodynamics

Prasanna Deshapriya

Astronomy Astrodynamics

Kai Duerfeld Space economics Technology survey

Diana Mutascu Graphic design Space economics

Work Schedule

Week Task

June 24 – July 7 Assign roles, start

literature survey

July 8 – July 23 Start initial design

July 24 – July 25 Present initial design

July 26 – August 15 Conduct detailed design

August 16 – August 22 Compose report and final

presentation

August 23 – August 24 Present final design

Overview

Chart from Charles Gerlach

Growing Interest in Space Mining

Important Questions

Astrodynamics

and Propulsion

Asteroid

Composition

Mining

Technologies

Economic

Demand

Economic Demand

Image Credit: http://www.lubpedia.com/wp-

content/uploads/2013/03/HD-Pictures-of-Earth-from-Space-4.jpg

Space market:

Life support Construction

Propellant Refrigerant

Agriculture

Earth market:

Construction Electronics

Jewelry Transportation

Fuel cells Industrial

Types of Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs)

S-type

Stony

(silicates, sulfides,

metals)

C-type

Carbonaceous

(water, volatiles)

M-type

Metallic

(metals)

Materials from NEAs

Material Product

Raw silicate Ballast or shielding in space

Water and other volatiles Propellant in space

Nickel-Iron (Ni-Fe) metal Space structures

Construction on earth

Platinum Group Metals (PGMs) Catalyst for fuel cells and auto

catalyzers on earth

Jewelry on earth

Semiconductor metals Space solar arrays

Electronics on earth

Accessibility Example

“Apollo-Type” Mission

Image Credit: Sonter’s Thesis

Low Delta-vs for Many NEAs

Compare!

Image Credit: Elvis, McDowell, Hoffman, and Binzel. “Ultra-low

Delta-v Objects and the Human Exploration of Asteroids.” Image Credit:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/

c/c9/Deltavs.svg

Mining Technology: Mobility

• Low gravity environment prevents use of wheeled rovers.

• Innovative mobility methods are developing.

Image Credit: Yoshida, Maruki, and

Yano. “A Novel Strategy for Asteroid

Exploration with a Surface Robot.”

Image Credit: Nakamura, Shimoda,

and Shoji. “Mobility of a Microgravity

Rover using Internal Electromagnetic

Levitation.”

Image Credit: Chacin and Yoshida.

“Multi-limbed Rover for Asteroid

Surface Exploration using Static

Locomotion.”

Mining Technology: Rock Extraction

Controlled Foam

Injection (CFI)

Electric Rockbreaking

Microwave Drilling Diamond Wire Sawing

Image Credits: Harper,

G.S. “Nederburg Miner.”

Mining Technology: Water Extraction

Image Credits: Zacny et al. “Mobile In-situ Water Extractor

(MISWE) for Mars, Moon, and Asteroids In Situ Resource

Utilization.”

Water ice extraction from soils

currently being developed by Honeybee

called the Mars In-situ Water Extractor

(MISWE).

Economics: Net Present Value

• Asteroid mining is economically justified only if the net

present value (NPV) of the material returned is

above zero. It is NOT just the cost of mining and

going there versus the profit obtained from resources.

Sonter’s NPV Equation

Corbit is the per kilogram Earth-to-orbit launch cost [$/kg]

Mmpe is mass of mining and processing equipment [kg]

f is the specific mass throughput ratio for the miner [kg mined / kg equipment / day]

t is the mining period [days]

r is the percentage recovery of the valuable material from the ore

∆v is the velocity increment needed for the return trajectory [km/s]

ve is the propulsion system exhaust velocity [km/s]

i is the market interest rate

a is semi-major axis of transfer orbit [AU]

Mps is mass of power supply [kg]

Mic is mass of instrumentation and control [kg]

Cmanuf is the specific cost of manufacture of the miner etc. [$/kg]

B is the annual budget for the project [$/year]

n is the number of years from launch to product delivery in LEO [years].

Ge and Satak NPV

where P = returned profit ($)

CM = Manufacturing cost ($)

CL = Launch cost ($) is equal to ms/c (mass of spacecraft) * uLV (unit mass cost)

CR = Recurring cost ($) is equal to B (annual operational expense) * T (total time)

CE = Reentry cost ($) is equal to Mreturned (mass returned) * fe (fraction of material sold on Earth) * uRV (unit mass cost)

𝐶𝑀 = 𝐶𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑟 + 𝐶𝑠𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑐𝑟𝑎𝑓𝑡 𝐶𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑟 = 𝑀𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑢

𝑃 =𝑉𝑠 1 − 𝑓𝑒 + 𝑉𝑒𝑓𝑒 𝑀𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑒𝑑

(1 + 𝑖)𝑇

where,

Vs = Value in space ($)

Ve = Value on Earth ($)

fe = Fraction of material sold on Earth

𝐶𝑠/𝑐 = 106(225 +𝑀𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑝𝑓

8)

𝑝𝑓 =𝑒−∆𝑣𝑡/𝑣𝑒 − 𝑠𝑓

1 − 𝑠𝑓

where,

u = unit cost of miner ($/kg)

pf = payload fraction

sf = structural fraction

∆𝑣𝑡 = delta-v to asteroid

ve = exhaust velocity

Example Case:

1996 FG3

Preliminary baseline of ESA’s MarcoPolo-R Mission

Element Value Uncertainty

(1-sigma) Units

e .34983406668

87911 1.5696e-08

a 1.0541679265

97945 7.8388e-10 AU

q .68538407386

32947 1.6408e-08 AU

i 1.9917406207

71903 1.4433e-06 deg

node 299.73096661

80939 4.8879e-05 deg

peri 23.981176173

36174 4.8216e-05 deg

M 167.67133206

88418 1.4068e-06 deg

tp

2456216.3721

68471335

(2012-Oct-

15.87216847)

1.4204e-06 JED

period

395.33305146

70441

1.08

4.4095e-07

1.207e-09

d

yr

n .91062459529

7746 1.0157e-09 deg/d

Q 1.4229517793

32595 1.0581e-09 AU

Source: NASA JPL

Trajectory To 1996 FG3

NPV Comparisons

• Both mining time and total time for is

optimized for maximum returns.

• Greatest mining time ≠ best NPV

• Least total time ≠ best NPV

• Selling water at $200.00 per

liter (kg) yields a NPV of

$763,370,000.

NPV Dependency on Economics

• A good estimate of discount rate

is crucial for estimating a good

NPV.

• Selling water at a minimum of 187

USD/kg is necessary to break even.

• Even bringing back water to sell at

$7000/kg makes a profit since

launching >1500 kg of water is very

expensive.

Economics: Challenges

Calculate the price of the returned materials in

space (for space utilization) and on earth (for

use on earth). Both demand and supply need

to be considered.

Estimate the one-time and recurring costs of a

mining operation and technology development.

Find the most economical mining, processing,

and logistics.

Fundamental Questions of Economics

Which asteroid

to mine? Where and what

to refine? Where to sell?

C Type?

S Type?

M Type?

Other?

NEOs?

Main belt?

Near

asteroid?

Earth-

Moon L1?

Earth?

Water?

Silicates?

Iron?

Nickel?

Other?

Earth?

Space?

Economics: Parameters

• Space Tourism

• Space/Terrestrial Habitation

• Space/Terrestrial Manufacturing Demand

• Asteroids

• Moon

• Earth Supply

• Research and Development

• Manufacture of Equipment

• Project Operation Cost

Astrodynamics

More information:

http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov

Learn basic orbital

mechanics and

astrodynamics

Research on Near Earth

Asteroid

Design optimal trajectory

from Earth to valuable

Asteroid

- Research on trajectory

design method

- Find parameters to control

design

Near Earth Asteroid (NEA) Orbit Types

Getting from Earth To NEA

Interplanetary Super Highway

Solar System is interconnected by a vast system of tunnels

winding around the Sun. Invariant manifolds are

generated by the

Lagrange Points of all

the planets and their

moons and are found

to play an important

role in the formulation

of solar system.

It could be exploited to

obtain low-energy

interplanetary

spacecraft

trajectories.

Check this paper and webpage!! 1) Dynamical Systems, the Three-Body Problem and Space Mission Design, W. S. Koon, M. Lo et al., 2006

2) http://www.gg.caltech.edu/~mwl

Introduction to Space Propulsion

What you think of when you hear:

Space Propulsion

Chemical rockets: big, loud, fumes, explosive,

etc.

The word rocket is most often short for

chemical rockets

Types of chemical rockets?

Solid, liquid,

Types of rockets? i.e., not necessarily chemical

Chemical rockets

For Missions Requiring High Thrust

Planetary takeoff (launch rockets)

Planetary landing (Viking, Lunar Lander)

Apogee kick (GTO-GEO transfer motors)

Perigee kick (GTO to escape)

Rapid maneuvering

(proximity ops., spacecraft attitude control)

Part of stages-to-orbit (#STO), X-planes …

Electric Propulsion (EP)

Missions Requiring High Isp

Deep space missions

(∆V ≥ 2-3 km/s typically)

Long-term drag cancellation

Long-term formation flight

Planetary non-Keplerian orbits

(e.g., parallel to Saturn’s rings)

Missions where EP is Beneficial

Propulsion for high-power satellites

(Comsats, radar sats)

Orbit raising (LEO-high LEO, LEO-GEO)

End-of-Life de-orbiting

Orbit re-positioning

Orbit corrections

Two broad categories

Chemical (high thrust, low Isp)

So for quick accel/short trips

Electrical (low thrust, high Isp)

So for slow/long trips

Efficiency

Define efficiency as

Varies widely for different “EP” systems

Electrical: Broad range of power and Isp

Cost moderate to high (excluding power systems)

h =

T 2 / 2m

IV=Tu / 2

IV

Resistojets

Over 200 Aerojet EHTs have flown since 1983 for north-south station-keeping.

The MR501B generates up to 360 mN of thrust and specific impulses of 303 s at

greater than 50% efficiency with the storable propellant hydrazine (N2H4).

500 W Aerojet MR-501B Electrothermal Hydrazine Thruster (EHT) Resistojet

Electrothermal

Heated hydrazine, heated H2 or heated waste gas

High η, low Isp

Very simple

limited by material T

Can raise monoprop. N2H4 to Isp≈ 310 sec (Intelsats)

With H2, Isp≈ 700sec (but storage problems)

Allows efficient waste gas disposal (Space Station)

Arcjets

An electrical arc (stream of energetic electrons) is used to heat propellant that is

then expanded through a nozzle. Arcjets are used mostly for station-keeping.

Arcjets are robust and like resistojets, use storable propellants. However, thrust

efficiency usually peaks at 35%.

Hall Thrusters

e- B

B

B

B B

B

B

B

e- e-

Inner Electromagnet

Solenoid

Four outer electromagnet solenoids

Xe+

Thermionic Emitting Hollow Cathode

Xenon propellant ions accelerated by axial E field

Xe+

Xe+

Xe+

Xe+

Xe+

Anode Backplate

Neutral Xenon injection through anode backplate

E

E E

E

Electrons captured by radial magnetic field

Xe+

Xe+

Xe+

Anode Exit

V

e- Density

Anode Exit

V d

Aerojet BPT-4000 Hall Thruster Firing.

Thrust: 170-290 mN

Efficiency: > 50%

Input Power: 3 to 4.5 kW (into thruster)

Isp: 1750-3000 s

Propellant: Xe

Hall Thrusters

Ion Engines

Ion engines are the most efficient EP devices at converting input power to thrust. Ion

engines are used both as primary propulsion and for station-keeping.

Ion engines are used on commercial and scientific spacecraft. Key issues include grid

erosion and thrust density limitations from space-charge effects.

DS1: Oct: 1998 Launch

12 Advanced Technologies Including:

•3300 Isp Ion Propulsion System

•Fully Autonomous Control

•State-of-the-Art Diagnostics

•Concentrator Solar Arrays

Total Spacecraft Mass is 490 kg

•380 kg dry mass

•28 kg of hydrazine for chemical engines

•82 kg of xenon for ion engine

•Ion thruster on continuously for a year

DS1: First New Millennium Mission

Pulsed Plasma Thrusters

(PPT with Teflon propellant)

Typically η≅ 0.05-0.1; Isp ≅ 1000 1200sec;

P from 0.1 to 1 KW

Very short (s) pulses, widely controllable pulse rate

Excellent for precise maneuvering

Solid fuel, very simple systems

Very low efficiency

Difficulty handling large propellant mass

Some flight experience (VELA satellites)

Pulsed Plasma Thrusters

PPTs are used for precise spacecraft propulsion needs such

as formation flying and drag makeup. Pictured above is the

EO-1 Pulsed Plasma Thruster

PPTs

Isp: ~1000 s

Thrust Range: N-mN

Power: 10 W – 100 W

Peak Efficiency: <10%

Propellants: TeflonTM, Water, Xe

MPD thrusters have the highest power densities of any EP device. MPD thrusters

would be used as primary propulsion for large space vehicles.

Pictured above is a Lithium MPD thruster operating at 500 A — 20 V, and

at a propellant flow rate of 20 mg/s at Princeton University

MPD Thrusters

Isp: 1000-8000 s

Thrust Range: mN – >100 N

Power: 10 kW - 10 MW

Peak Efficiency: ~50%

Propellants: H2, Lithium, Xe

Magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD)

Thrusters

VASIMR

•VASIMR (Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket) uses Lorentz force to accelerate

plasma to produce thrust.

•3 main sections: low energy helicon plasma source, ion-cyclotron resonance heating section

(ICRH), & magnetic nozzle.

•The main desirable features of this engine is that it shouldn’t incur degradation, hi thrust, Isp, &

efficiency, however still in experimental phase as efficiency is still a major key issue.

VASIMR

Questions & Answers (Q&A)

Why did I get chosen?

You are chosen since you have demonstrated great passion

in working on a field. Some of you are already in the space

field while others want to get into the field or at least

participate in it as more than a hobby.

How much do I get paid?

You will be initially paid $100.00 for the two months. If we

work well together and the project continues, this can

increase. We understand that for many of you this is not a

lot of money but consider this as token pay which can pave

the way to greater things in our organization in the future.

What’s next?

See next slide!

Q&A: What’s Next?

Decide an initial meeting for all 12 of us for

project initialization for a time in the week of

June 23 – June 29, 2013.