Planetary Resources

(Newser) - The burgeoning space mining industry might be short lived if Harvard astrophysicist Dr. Martin Elvis' calculations are correct. Elvis has just released a study estimating that just 10 near-Earth asteroids could be mined cost effectively, the BBC reports. Elvis assumed that miners would want to grab M-type rocks, the iron-nickel...

(Newser) - Looking for a career in asteroid mining ? Get in line. Celestial treasure-hunting firm Planetary Resources put out a call three weeks ago for applicants, and was soon so swamped with resumes that it had to stop accepting them. According to an update on the company's website , spotted by...

(Newser) - It's official, earthlings: The world's first asteroid-mining company has launched. Planetary Resources had its official coming out party today, the AP reports, with its co-founders laying out their plan to mine outer space for precious metal. The company, which is backed by such big-name investors as James Cameron...

(Newser) - After hanging out in the deepest depths of the oceans , how does a Hollywood super-director top himself? By space mining, of course. James Cameron has teamed up with two Google billionaires, several ex-NASA officials, and some other ambitious investors to form Planetary Resources Inc., a space exploration company that seems...