ASSISTANT to the extraction of minerals from ASTEROID
The creators of the new private space telescope say that this tool can help not only in protecting the Earth from asteroids, but also in mining.
Apparatus Sentinel space telescope from a nonprofit group B612 Foundation to open 500 000 near-Earth asteroids. According to official statements B612, some asteroids may pose a real threat to our planet, while others can be a source for the extraction of minerals.
Thus, researchers will be able to concentrate more on the characteristics of objects, rather than on their discovery.
Former astronaut Ed Lu said that are also important data concerning the size of the asteroid.
To date, the astronauts discovered about 10,000 near-Earth asteroids. It is expected that data on new asteroids obtained with the aid of a telescope, even in the first few weeks, significantly more than the number specified above. Scientists hope that by using the new telescope can detect about half a million asteroids and make the final map of the inner solar system.
Apparatus Sentinel space telescope will search for asteroids with an infrared telescope, which was created with the help of technology used to create the Kepler and Spitzer.
Representatives of the B612 state that because the Sentinel detects potentially dangerous to Earth asteroids, people will have time to reflect their possible collision with the ground. This can be done by changing the trajectory of the asteroid using gravitational tractor, or neutralize hazardous asteroids using the kinetic impact or a nuclear explosion.
In addition, the researchers hope that the device will help in mapping, in the study of near-Earth asteroids in the extraction of minerals, such as platinum group metals and water.
