[Fwd: RETURNING TO THE MOON: RETRIEVING LUNAR RESOURCES]
FYI,
A friend forwarded this press release to me. It looks like the space
resource race just gained another player.
Mark Reiff
PS: I just forwarding this and know nothing about this beyond what I
read in this message and on their web site, so direct your inquiries to
Beth at ASR, not me.
-------------
> >Subject: RETURNING TO THE MOON: RETRIEVING LUNAR RESOURCES
> >Date: Sun, 18 Jan 1998 00:00:17 -0500
> >Return-Receipt-To: Denise Norris <dnorris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >Organization: Applied Space Resources, Inc
> >
> >CONTACT:
> > Beth Elliott
> > Applied Space Resources, Inc.
> > 516/579-1249 Direct
> > eelliott@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >
> >For Immediate Release
> >
> >RETURNING TO THE MOON: RETRIEVING LUNAR RESOURCES
> >
> >Applied Space Resources, Inc., plans to launch privately-funded Lunar
> >Sample Return Mission by 30th anniversary of first robotic lunar rock
> >retrieval.
> >
> >Bethpage, NY - 1/12/98 - As NASA's Lunar Prospector mapping mission set off
> >to chart the moon's mineral resources, a private company announced its plan
> >to put lunar rock in the hands of research organizations and private
> >citizens alike. Applied Space Resources, Inc. (ASR) of Long Island, New
> >York says it expects to be able to offer to the general public, through
> >commercial distribution channels, approximately ten kilograms of lunar rock
> >at a retail price comparable to high-quality gemstones. ASR also plans to
> >sell additional material to interested scientific research organizations.
> > ASR says it expects to launch its lunar sample return mission, the Lunar
> >Retriever, by September 2000, the 30th anniversary of Luna 16, the first
> >robotic sample mission to soft land on the moon.
> >
> > ASR is developing a core competency in the use of existing technologies
> >for the development of resources in near-Earth space. Its focus is to
> >deliver spacecraft to any destination with precision, and return resources
> >and information with equal precision, for a profit.
> >
> > And the resources available for development are considerable.
> > Astronomers have plotted the orbits of 400 near-Earth asteroids a
> >kilometer or greater in diameter, and estimate their number to be closer to
> >2,000. Some of them would be easier to reach and return materials from
> >than our Moon. Because of their size and the processes by which they were
> >formed, these asteroids have rare metals such as platinum close to the
> >surface; in this way, they differ from Earth, where most precious metals
> >lie far beneath the planetary crust. Both NASA and Japan are planning
> >missions to test new technology and assay particular asteroids.
> >
> > As an initial mission, ASR has chosen the more modest goal of landing a
> >spacecraft at a site on Sea of Tranquillity, gathering rock and soil and
> >returning it safely to Earth, while leaving instruments behind for ongoing
> >data transmission to Earth. It sees this mission as hastening the day
> >when, for the first time in human history, individuals can gaze upon
> >Earth's nearest neighbor while holding an affordable piece of it in their
> >hands ... the day when businesspeople and engineers can retrieve formerly
> >scarce resources from space. "We consider our Lunar Sample Return Mission
> >an important demonstration of the value of space resources," says ASR Vice
> >President Beth Elliott.
> >
> > Elliott points out that a lunar sample return mission costing less than
> >$100 million could return a quantity of lunar material with enough demand
> >in the marketplace to make the return on investment attractive to financial
> >backers. The current market for lunar samples is restricted by low supply
> >and characterized by extremely high prices. In 1993, a sample of lunar
> >material said to be from the Apollo 14 mission was sold publicly despite a
> >federal policy prohibiting private ownership of material collected during
> >the U.S. manned lunar landings. This sample, alleged to be lunar dust
> >collected off Dave Scott's lunar EVA suit, sold for $42,500 based on the
> >speculation that it was lunar in origin-scientific authentication was never
> >performed. A subsequent sale of lunar material from one of the former
> >Soviet Union's three successful Luna sampling missions occurred at a
> >Sotheby's auction. A sample weighing just a few grains, less than one
> >carat in weight, sold for an astounding $442,000-or $2,200 per milligram.
> >
> > "Missions like the Lunar Retriever are essential to understanding the
> >resources available to a future manned lunar base, " says Jay Manifold,
> >another ASR vice president. Manifold explains that an In-Situ Resource
> >Utilization (ISRU) program is key to developing a manned lunar base, and
> >key to ISRU development is having samples of lunar resources in the hands
> >of scientists on Earth.
> >
> > Manifold will also be pointing out the parallels between the
> >commercialization of near-Earth space and European voyages of exploration
> >on January 14th in a presentation to the American Institute of Aeronautics
> >and Astronautics (AIAA) at their 36th Aerospace Sciences Meeting and
> >Exhibit in Reno, Nevada. In both instances, says Manifold, rival
> >superpowers financed the technology of exploration, then, in the case of
> >European exploration, retreated into the business of granting royal
> >charters for a share of the profits. Individual entrepreneurs, finding
> >that a purse full of coin could carry limited clout in emergencies, began
> >to consolidate their operations, which led to the development of the
> >corporation. A similar pattern is appearing with the advent of NASA's
> >Discovery program and other efforts by world governments to push the
> >financial risks of space exploration into the private sector. A copy of
> >the presentation will be made available to the public at ASR's website on
> >the day of the presentation.
> >
> > When working with potential and financial partners, ASR's principals
> >stress the importance of entrepreneurs to opening near-Earth space to
> >resource development. ASR will make its services available to private and
> >public concerns alike, but will take no subsidies. "Humankind will only
> >benefit from the resources of space when they are developed by private
> >enterprises such as ours," says ASR CEO Denise Norris. "We intend to use
> >our knowledge, creativity, hard work and business vision to demonstrate the
> >viability of market-driven space missions. We will not go to the public
> >asking them to send us into space. We will go into space first, then come
> >to the public with something to offer: the productive utilization of the
> >vast resources of near-Earth space."
> >
> > Additional information about Applied Space Resources, Inc. is available at
> >http://www.appliedspace.com.
--
Mark Reiff <mreiff1@xxxxxxxxxx>
Gratuitous political statement, look here ->
<http://www.earthlink.net/~markreiff/pork.jpg>
"I think we are all trying too hard to push space
versus finding the pulls that attract people and their money."
"The heavens reward great deeds, not excuses."
-- BEGIN included message
To
mreiff1@xxxxxxxxxx
From
Mark Prado <mark@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date
Sun, 18 Jan 1998 12:14:47 -0800
Mark, I didn't see you on her To: list. Interesting project. I hope she
takes advantage of Lunar Prospector to do good PR press releases.
>Errors-To: <dnorris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>From: Denise Norris <dnorris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>To: "'permanent@xxxxxxxxxxxxx'" <permanent@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
> "'simon@xxxxxxxxxx'" <simon@xxxxxxxxxx>,
> "'bfreed@xxxxxxxxxxx'" <bfreed@xxxxxxxxxxx>,
> "'jeff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx'" <jeff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
> "'davidson@xxxxxxxx'" <davidson@xxxxxxxx>,
> "'Foundation@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx'" <Foundation@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>To: "'webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx'" <webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
> "'bridge@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx'" <bridge@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
> "'crews@xxxxxxxx'" <crews@xxxxxxxx>,
> "'74673.724@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx'" <74673.724@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
> "'jpowell@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx'" <jpowell@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
> "'css@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx'" <css@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>To: "'ralentz@xxxxxxxxxxx'" <ralentz@xxxxxxxxxxx>,
> "'itsd1@xxxxxxxxxxxx'"
> <itsd1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>,
> "'artemis@xxxxxxx'" <artemis@xxxxxxx>,
> "'acurtis@xxxxxxx'" <acurtis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
> "'Naut2b@xxxxxxxxxxxxx'" <Naut2b@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
> "'insidespace@xxxxxxxxx'" <insidespace@xxxxxxxxx>
>To: "'scifiwire@xxxxxxxxx'" <scifiwire@xxxxxxxxx>,
> "'questions@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx'" <questions@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
> "'mdecotis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx'" <mdecotis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
> "'adastra.editor@xxxxxxx'" <adastra.editor@xxxxxxx>,
> "'MAUREEN.MORGAN@xxxxxxxxx'" <MAUREEN.MORGAN@xxxxxxxxx>,
> "'spacereport@xxxxxxxxxxx'" <spacereport@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>To: "'tps.@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx'" <tps.@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
> "'info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx'" <info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: RETURNING TO THE MOON: RETRIEVING LUNAR RESOURCES
>Date: Sun, 18 Jan 1998 00:00:17 -0500
>Return-Receipt-To: Denise Norris <dnorris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Organization: Applied Space Resources, Inc
>
>CONTACT:
> Beth Elliott
> Applied Space Resources, Inc.
> 516/579-1249 Direct
> eelliott@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
>For Immediate Release
>
>RETURNING TO THE MOON: RETRIEVING LUNAR RESOURCES
>
>Applied Space Resources, Inc., plans to launch privately-funded Lunar
>Sample Return Mission by 30th anniversary of first robotic lunar rock
>retrieval.
>
>Bethpage, NY - 1/12/98 - As NASA's Lunar Prospector mapping mission set off
>to chart the moon's mineral resources, a private company announced its plan
>to put lunar rock in the hands of research organizations and private
>citizens alike. Applied Space Resources, Inc. (ASR) of Long Island, New
>York says it expects to be able to offer to the general public, through
>commercial distribution channels, approximately ten kilograms of lunar rock
>at a retail price comparable to high-quality gemstones. ASR also plans to
>sell additional material to interested scientific research organizations.
> ASR says it expects to launch its lunar sample return mission, the Lunar
>Retriever, by September 2000, the 30th anniversary of Luna 16, the first
>robotic sample mission to soft land on the moon.
>
> ASR is developing a core competency in the use of existing technologies
>for the development of resources in near-Earth space. Its focus is to
>deliver spacecraft to any destination with precision, and return resources
>and information with equal precision, for a profit.
>
> And the resources available for development are considerable.
> Astronomers have plotted the orbits of 400 near-Earth asteroids a
>kilometer or greater in diameter, and estimate their number to be closer to
>2,000. Some of them would be easier to reach and return materials from
>than our Moon. Because of their size and the processes by which they were
>formed, these asteroids have rare metals such as platinum close to the
>surface; in this way, they differ from Earth, where most precious metals
>lie far beneath the planetary crust. Both NASA and Japan are planning
>missions to test new technology and assay particular asteroids.
>
> As an initial mission, ASR has chosen the more modest goal of landing a
>spacecraft at a site on Sea of Tranquillity, gathering rock and soil and
>returning it safely to Earth, while leaving instruments behind for ongoing
>data transmission to Earth. It sees this mission as hastening the day
>when, for the first time in human history, individuals can gaze upon
>Earth's nearest neighbor while holding an affordable piece of it in their
>hands ... the day when businesspeople and engineers can retrieve formerly
>scarce resources from space. "We consider our Lunar Sample Return Mission
>an important demonstration of the value of space resources," says ASR Vice
>President Beth Elliott.
>
> Elliott points out that a lunar sample return mission costing less than
>$100 million could return a quantity of lunar material with enough demand
>in the marketplace to make the return on investment attractive to financial
>backers. The current market for lunar samples is restricted by low supply
>and characterized by extremely high prices. In 1993, a sample of lunar
>material said to be from the Apollo 14 mission was sold publicly despite a
>federal policy prohibiting private ownership of material collected during
>the U.S. manned lunar landings. This sample, alleged to be lunar dust
>collected off Dave Scott's lunar EVA suit, sold for $42,500 based on the
>speculation that it was lunar in origin-scientific authentication was never
>performed. A subsequent sale of lunar material from one of the former
>Soviet Union's three successful Luna sampling missions occurred at a
>Sotheby's auction. A sample weighing just a few grains, less than one
>carat in weight, sold for an astounding $442,000-or $2,200 per milligram.
>
> "Missions like the Lunar Retriever are essential to understanding the
>resources available to a future manned lunar base, " says Jay Manifold,
>another ASR vice president. Manifold explains that an In-Situ Resource
>Utilization (ISRU) program is key to developing a manned lunar base, and
>key to ISRU development is having samples of lunar resources in the hands
>of scientists on Earth.
>
> Manifold will also be pointing out the parallels between the
>commercialization of near-Earth space and European voyages of exploration
>on January 14th in a presentation to the American Institute of Aeronautics
>and Astronautics (AIAA) at their 36th Aerospace Sciences Meeting and
>Exhibit in Reno, Nevada. In both instances, says Manifold, rival
>superpowers financed the technology of exploration, then, in the case of
>European exploration, retreated into the business of granting royal
>charters for a share of the profits. Individual entrepreneurs, finding
>that a purse full of coin could carry limited clout in emergencies, began
>to consolidate their operations, which led to the development of the
>corporation. A similar pattern is appearing with the advent of NASA's
>Discovery program and other efforts by world governments to push the
>financial risks of space exploration into the private sector. A copy of
>the presentation will be made available to the public at ASR's website on
>the day of the presentation.
>
> When working with potential and financial partners, ASR's principals
>stress the importance of entrepreneurs to opening near-Earth space to
>resource development. ASR will make its services available to private and
>public concerns alike, but will take no subsidies. "Humankind will only
>benefit from the resources of space when they are developed by private
>enterprises such as ours," says ASR CEO Denise Norris. "We intend to use
>our knowledge, creativity, hard work and business vision to demonstrate the
>viability of market-driven space missions. We will not go to the public
>asking them to send us into space. We will go into space first, then come
>to the public with something to offer: the productive utilization of the
>vast resources of near-Earth space."
>
> Additional information about Applied Space Resources, Inc. is available at
>http://www.appliedspace.com.
>
># # #
>
>
>
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Mark Prado, consultant on Internet, MIS/IT and computers, and
physicist/analyst
e-mail: mark@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
WWW home page: http://www.permanent.com/mark
Founder of permanet.org, one of the earliest public Internet service providers
in Washington, D.C., long before Internet became trendy.
For a look at the next great human endeavor, see http://www.permanent.com
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