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Google execs, director Cameron in space venture
Yahoo ^ | April 20, 2012 | Gerry Shih

Posted on 04/20/2012 9:50:55 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt and billionaire co-founder Larry Page have teamed up with "Avatar" director James Cameron and other investors to back an ambitious space exploration and natural resources venture, details of which will be unveiled next week.

The fledgling company, called Planetary Resources, will be unveiled at a Tuesday news conference at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, according to a press release issued this week.

Aside from naming some of the company's high-profile backers, the press release disclosed tantalizingly few details, saying only that the company will combine the sectors of "space exploration and natural resources" in a venture that could add "trillions of dollars to the global GDP." The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that Planetary Resources will explore the feasibility of mining natural resources from asteroids, a decades-old concept.

"This innovative start-up will create a new industry and a new definition of 'natural resources,'" according to the press release.

Planetary Resource was co-founded by Eric Anderson, a former NASA Mars mission manager, and Peter Diamandis, the commercial space entrepreneur behind the X-Prize, a competition that offered $10 million to a group that launched a reusable manned spacecraft. Other notable investors include Charles Simonyi, a former top executive at Microsoft, and K. Ram Shriram, a Google director.

(Excerpt) Read more at ca.news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: charlessimonyi; ericanderson; ericschmidt; google; jamescameron; kramshriram; larrypage; peterdiamandis; planetaryresources; space
H/T to Drudge.
1 posted on 04/20/2012 9:51:01 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
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To: SunkenCiv; NormsRevenge; SierraWasp; Marine_Uncle; BOBTHENAILER; Fred Nerks; TigersEye
So what is on the moon that might be useful.

And will the EPA regulate what is done there?

2 posted on 04/20/2012 9:54:00 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach (The Global Warming HOAX is about Global Governance)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Good luck to ‘em. If I had there money, that’s what I’d be investing in...

(well, besides paying my Fair Share, and all...)


3 posted on 04/20/2012 9:58:17 PM PDT by bigbob
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
"So what is on the moon that might be useful. And will the EPA regulate what is done there?"
I have been told there may be blue cheese on the moon. I was just ready to log out. Ernest. Do have a great upcoming day.
4 posted on 04/20/2012 10:03:46 PM PDT by Marine_Uncle
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To: bigbob
I agree. Good for them. There's a universe full of natural resources out there and we should go and use them as God meant us to.

People who sneer at this are luddites. I don't like the politics of Cameron or Larry Page but if they have capital to invest and do this then more power to them.

5 posted on 04/20/2012 10:17:38 PM PDT by Regulator
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To: Marine_Uncle
Bout to turn in here..

..Have a great day tomorrow.

6 posted on 04/20/2012 10:18:49 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach (The Global Warming HOAX is about Global Governance)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

When Newt proposed the exact same thing at his Space Coast speech, helping the private sector get involved for the first time in the space industry, with minimal govt support, he was mocked and called crazy out of his mind by lots of people, including lots of Freepers here.

Sigh. It happens all the time when you are a visionary.

GOT PHONE? Please makes calls for Newt into DE this weekend:
www.phone.newt.org


7 posted on 04/20/2012 10:35:00 PM PDT by true believer forever (GO NEWT! On to Tampa - hang tight - we can do this!!)
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To: true believer forever

“When Newt proposed the exact same thing at his Space Coast speech, helping the private sector get involved for the first time in the space industry, with minimal govt support, he was mocked “

There are billionaire investors who understand new opportunities for wealth and prosperity requires bold dreams.

What if JFK’s moon mission was slammed for being unrealistic?

Seriously, Newt would have been such a good president. He would have spurred this kind of thing.

Instead we will get mush from Mittens, or more likely, Four More Years of “hope! and change!”


8 posted on 04/20/2012 10:53:58 PM PDT by garjog
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Earth First!

We can mine the other planets/asteroids later.


9 posted on 04/21/2012 4:55:44 AM PDT by MAexile (Bats left, votes right)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
The fledgling company, called Planetary Resources, will be unveiled at a Tuesday news conference at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, according to a press release issued this week.

Sounds vaguely familiar...


10 posted on 04/21/2012 5:38:41 AM PDT by 6SJ7 (Meh.)
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To: true believer forever
When Newt proposed the exact same thing at his Space Coast speech, helping the private sector get involved for the first time in the space industry, with minimal govt support, he was mocked and called crazy out of his mind by lots of people, including lots of Freepers here.

I remember it vividly and I said so at the time... what Newt proposed was representative of mainstream thinking regarding space but rather than objectively compare his proposal to what was being discussed in that arena, he was sneered and jeered at by the press, Senator Sanctimonious, Mitt-the-Flipper and a host of freepers.

I don't expect this announcement to see many mainstream comparisons to Newt's "vision" as outlined in the Space Coast speech.

11 posted on 04/21/2012 6:51:28 AM PDT by newzjunkey (Newt says, "A nominee that depresses turnout won't beat Barack Obama.")
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Cheese! Duh.


12 posted on 04/21/2012 7:15:33 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (FReepathon 2Q time -- https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: KevinDavis

Thanks Ernest.


13 posted on 04/21/2012 7:16:04 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (FReepathon 2Q time -- https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: garjog
“When Newt proposed the exact same thing at his Space Coast speech, helping the private sector get involved for the first time in the space industry, with minimal govt support, he was mocked “

There are billionaire investors who understand new opportunities for wealth and prosperity requires bold dreams.

What if JFK’s moon mission was slammed for being unrealistic?

Seriously, Newt would have been such a good president. He would have spurred this kind of thing.

Instead we will get mush from Mittens, or more likely, Four More Years of “hope! and change!”

NEWT IS STILL GOING TO BE THE PRESIDENT... There is just a long slog ahead of him, is all. You can help.

We have around 15,000 calls that need to be made to Delaware before Tuesday’s primary. If we can get Champions for Newt who will make as many calls as they can between Friday and Monday, or Tuesday, we can do it!

As much as the political and media establishment would like to declare this race over and coronate Mitt Romney as our inevitable nominee, it just isn’t the case.

We’ve had great crowds with lots of enthusiasm, and a number of key elected officials have endorsed our campaign in recent days. We truly believe that we have a real opportunity to win there, but we need your help.

This campaign couldn’t have survived through the various ups and downs without the passionate support of people like you. And now it’s time to put that passion to work again.

We just launched a new “phone from home” system at phone.newt.org and there’s plenty of households in Delaware that could use a call from you.

We’re trying to make as many calls as we can into Delaware over the next few days to identify Newt supporters, to persuade undecided voters, and turn them out to the polls on Tuesday.

Our new system is very easy to use and your help over the next few days is absolutely vital.

So please take a moment today to visit phone.newt.org and make as many phone calls as you can. With your help, we can turn the conventional wisdom on its head, and force the political and media establishment to acknowledge that this race is not over.

GOT PHONE? Make calls into DE this weekend for Newt:

www.phone.newt.org

www.grassroots.newt.org - Great new grassroots site for Newt, lots of people there doing lots of different things for Newt... Jump in!

www.newt.org

www.newt.org/donate

DOWNLOAD NEWT GINGRICH’S CONTRACT WITH AMERICA http://www.newt.org/sites/newt.org/files/images/downloadbrochure.png

50 Flyers of The 21st Century Contract with America - $5.00 http://www.newtstore2012.com/product-p/ng50flyer2012.htm

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!

14 posted on 04/21/2012 7:49:16 AM PDT by true believer forever (GO NEWT! On to Tampa - hang tight - we can do this!!)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
When I see "Avatar" and anything scientific mentioned in the same article I know these will be more Al Gore type efforts.
15 posted on 04/21/2012 12:50:44 PM PDT by what's up
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