Space is starting to look like the better mining operation
arstechnica.com
Mining in space might be less environmentally harmful than mining asteroids on Earth.

Space is starting to look like the better mining operation | Mining in space might be less environmentally harmful than mining asteroids on Earth.::Mining in space might be less environmentally harmful than mining asteroids on Earth.

  • TropicalDingdong@lemmy.worldEnglish
    288·
    1 year ago

    I mean this is kind of a ridiculous take. There is no environment there. They are asteroids. The asteroid belt represents ~3% the mass of the moon.. There are plenty. Enough with the hand wringing.

    It would be great if we could move this environmentally destructive practice to a place where there is no environment. Its one of the few justifications that really makes sense for investment in space travel. Not because it could be profitable, but because it could help us preserve literally the only habitable place in the universe we know of. That alone should be justification for investment.

    Its just another implication of how hard it is for humans to understand that “space is big”.

    • pimento64@sopuli.xyzEnglish
      321·
      1 year ago

      I don’t think it was ridiculous at all, and I wholeheartedly believe this would negatively impact the giant space slugs from Empire Strikes Back. Can’t you tell how serious I am?

      • CmdrShepard@lemmy.oneEnglish
        3·
        1 year ago

        Plus what about the giant space potato bugs that live under these rocks? They’ll die without shelter.

      • frezik@midwest.socialEnglish
        21·
        1 year ago

        I’ve legit read articles from people unironically saying we shouldn’t ruin the environment of the moon with mining. The moon. The place often compared to bombed cities. They were worried we would look up to the moon and see big dust clouds, which doesn’t even work without an atmosphere.