The level of wealth required to pursue an asteroid mining venture is concentrated in the hands of a very small number of people. Large disparities exist between those able to take advantage of the resources and those most at risk of harm by exploitation.It also seems possible, if not likely, that the earliest successes in asteroid mining will be the only successes. Competition with established companies will be an additional barrier, and a monopoly or cartel may develop.Daniel Pilchman, a legal philosopher, says asteroid mining is likely to increase inequality on Earth. He argues it will therefore be an unethical practice, unless it can be regulated to bring benefits to all. James Schwartz, also a philosopher, says mining asteroid resources is unlikely to “significantly improve the well-being of average human beings,” and by extension, would be unethical.
On the flip side of questions about whether it is ethical to mine asteroids is the question of whether it is ethical to leave a vast store of resources untouched. Resources that would be useful for things like green energy and large-scale agriculture.Asteroid resources are unlikely to harbour life, meanwhile the only planetary body with known life in the Solar System, Earth, continues to be exploited. Weighing these ethical issues may become necessary in the face of climate change and ecosystem collapse. Planetary scientist Philip Metzger argues space mining will allow solutions to Earth’s increasing energy demands that are not currently feasible, such as beaming solar energy via microwave to Earth.
https://impakter.com/the-problems-with-space-mining-no-one-is-talking-about/QuoteThe level of wealth required to pursue an asteroid mining venture is concentrated in the hands of a very small number of people. Large disparities exist between those able to take advantage of the resources and those most at risk of harm by exploitation.It also seems possible, if not likely, that the earliest successes in asteroid mining will be the only successes. Competition with established companies will be an additional barrier, and a monopoly or cartel may develop.Daniel Pilchman, a legal philosopher, says asteroid mining is likely to increase inequality on Earth. He argues it will therefore be an unethical practice, unless it can be regulated to bring benefits to all. James Schwartz, also a philosopher, says mining asteroid resources is unlikely to “significantly improve the well-being of average human beings,” and by extension, would be unethical.
A crab placed alone in a bucket will easily climb out and escape, but when you place it with a few of its mates, this interesting phenomenon occurs: One at a time, as the crabs try to escape, other crabs will pull them back down to their misery and the group's collective demise
The biggest problem with asteroid mining is that there is no economic justification for doing it. Name a resource you can get from asteroids that is in significant demand that is NOT cheaper to acquire from terrestrial sources....
Quote from: Cherokee43v6 on 09/13/2022 01:54 pmThe biggest problem with asteroid mining is that there is no economic justification for doing it. Name a resource you can get from asteroids that is in significant demand that is NOT cheaper to acquire from terrestrial sources....BY FAR a better critique of space mining than anything in this article.
Economical transportability to a specific destination isn't needed for something to be of value. Assets can have intrinsic value in situ. Certainly transport can add value. But it isn't even required for trade.An Earth-bound example: Mister Gold owns an asset in a Swiss bank vault. Mister Silver owns an asset in a vault in Dallas, Texas. They can trade ownership without either asset being physically moved.So too if Mister Aster has an asset in a vault orbiting 16 Psyche and Mister Terra has a dollar-denominated asset in a U.S. bank. Asking Mister Terra why he wants to own metal stored in Psyche orbit is a bit like asking Mr Gold why he wants to own metal stored in Switzerland.
Quote from: Robotbeat on 09/14/2022 01:26 amQuote from: Cherokee43v6 on 09/13/2022 01:54 pmThe biggest problem with asteroid mining is that there is no economic justification for doing it. Name a resource you can get from asteroids that is in significant demand that is NOT cheaper to acquire from terrestrial sources....BY FAR a better critique of space mining than anything in this article.Isn't the stereotypical response something something platinum group metals (but not platinum)?
Very peculiar that the article doesn't mention the damage that resource extraction does on Earth. Here we are, busily poisoning ourselves and the whole biosphere through resource extraction when there are (potentially) resources to be had from places without biospheres to pollute. How is it not ethical to explore opportunities to fulfill our need for resources from those sources? I am personally doubtful it will happen but it can't be called unethical to try it.
Of course, the solution to the "problem" addressed in the OP would be the establishment of space mining patents. This would provide an economic incentive for reconnaissance of the asteroids, but not requires billions of dollars.
Quote from: Danderman on 09/26/2022 11:21 pmOf course, the solution to the "problem" addressed in the OP would be the establishment of space mining patents. This would provide an economic incentive for reconnaissance of the asteroids, but not requires billions of dollars. Would you please expand on that idea a bit? Patents are in modern times regarded as protection for intellectual property, linked to invention. Or perhaps you intend it in the sense of Letters patent?https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letters_patent_(United_Kingdom)