The First Trillionaires Will Make Their Fortunes in Space
Market Value of Metallic Asteroid
Market prices for metals and other commodities vary. New York commodity market prices for precious and base metals gave the prices for gold, platinum, and nickel on January 8, 2010. Iron prices can be found on scrap metal markets. The listed iron price is an approximate average for 2009. The prices to the nearest dollar are:
Iron $200/ton
Nickel $8/pound
Platinum $1577/ounce
Gold $1136/ounce
Converting from grams to tons, pounds, or ounces and multiplying by the current market price, gives the estimated market price of the metals in asteroid 1986 DA.
Iron 2.2 trillion dollars
Nickel 17.6 trillion dollars
Platinum 5.5 trillion dollars
Gold 0.4 trillion dollars
Total 25.7 trillion dollars
The total estimated market price for metals found in the 2 kilometer diameter metallic asteroid 1986 DA in early 2010 is over 25 trillion dollars.
Read more at Suite101: Economic Impact of Asteroids & Space Exploration: Market Value of Metallic Asteroid Greater than US National Debt | Suite101.com http://paul-a-heckert.suite101.com/economic-impact-of-asteroids-space-exploration-a187015#ixzz1klqh6lhl
“Of all the possible destinations in space, the Moon offers the proximity, accessibility, and materials necessary to learn how to use what we find in space to create new capabilities. Harvesting the resources of the Moon will allow us to make what we need in space, rather than carrying it with us from the Earth’s surface. The model currently used to pursue our national interests in space – design-launch-use-discard – restrains opportunity, affordability and capability. We can break the limits imposed on all of these factors by learning how to use the resources of space.
The development of the Moon creates an extensible, flexible transportation system that opens up the new frontier for many possibilities. Acquiring this essential space faring skill requires investment and commitment, with the full understanding of what will be achieved by this paradigm shift – the beginnings of a new space-based economy. What price tag would you put on that?”........
http://blogs.airspacemag.com/moon/2010/12/can-we-afford-to-return-to-the-moon/
....”We take as our mission the original Vision for Space Exploration. We go to the Moon to establish a permanent human presence there and a reusable, refuelable, and extensible transportation system to support such presence. Once established, we will have a space faring system that can not only routinely access the Moon, but all other points in cislunar space and beyond, including the L-points and near-Earth asteroids.”...
The Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies of 1967 precludes this asteroid becomming private property. No same investor will invest in such a project. So the profits you suggest will never happen, unless we withdraw from the treaty.