Asteroids

Uranus Is Being Chased By Asteroids!

June 18, 2013

Want to stay on top of all the space news? Follow @universetoday on Twitter As Uranus speeds in its orbit in the solar system, there are three large space rocks that are in lockstep with the gas giant, according to new simulations. Two of them are wobbling in unstable “horseshoe” orbits near Uranus, while the [...]

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Earth-Passing Asteroid is “An Entirely New Beast”

June 17, 2013

On the last day of May 2013 asteroid 1998 QE2 passed relatively closely by our planet, coming within 6 million kilometers… about 15 times the distance to the Moon. While there was never any chance of an impact by the 3 km-wide asteroid and its surprise 750 meter satellite, astronomers didn’t miss out on the chance [...]

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NASA’s Sci-Fi Vision: Robots Could Help Humanity Mine Asteroids

June 14, 2013

In a few generations of robotics, we’ll see mighty machines able to fully construct themselves and operate from the surface of asteroids — providing applications for mining, NASA researchers say in a new study. The scientists are convinced that this type of research is not only possible, but also able to support itself financially. (Costs [...]

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Bringing Space to the Masses: Q&A with Planetary Resources’ Chris Lewicki

June 13, 2013

Chris Lewicki is the President and Chief Engineer for one of the most pioneering and audacious companies in the world today. Planetary Resources was founded in 2008 by two leading space advocates, Peter Diamandis, Chairman and CEO of the X-Prize Foundation and Eric Anderson, a forerunner in the field of space tourism. In from the [...]

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‘Space Selfie’ Telescope Could Hunt Alien Planets … If It Raises A Cool $2M

June 11, 2013

A crowdfunded telescope — best known for offering “space selfies” for backers as an incentive to send money — is now considering a search for alien planets. Planetary Resources Inc. (the proposed asteroid miners) announced a new “stretch goal” for its asteroid-hunting Arkyd-100 telescope. If the company can raise $2 million — double its original goal [...]

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