Deep Space Industries briefing

[Update: Here is the video of the briefing:

Notes from the Deep Space Industries briefing:

• Geoff Notkin  of the Science Channel's Meteorite Men series starts off the briefing.
• Introduces Rick Tumlinson
  • Talks about the bright possibilities of the future but we must make the effort to see them happen.
  • Names the other members of the panel. (See Team page.) 
• Mark Sonter ("independent scientific consultant in the Australian mining and metallurgical industries") speaks next.
  • Presents series of slides describing the "resources of Near-Earth Space"
  • Space rsources are more plentiful and diverse than most people realize.'
  • Discusses findings of the Japanese asteroid mission.
  • Number of NEOs has greatly increased since he first started studying them.
  • Can get to 700-800 NEOs with less energy than getting to the Moon.
  • Spectroscopic studies, meteorites, etc. tell us about the compositions of the many types of asteroids.
  • Lists potential resources - water, nickel, PGM, etc.
  • Cheaper to use space based materials than launching from earth.
  • Metallurgical processes for extraction not especially demanding.
  • Virtually recovered mass will have some value.
  • DSI techniques also will help to mitigate the impact threat.
• Stephen Covey, Member – Board of Directors
  • Created the Microgravity Foundry
  • 3D printer.
  • Uses any source of metallic nickel
  • Can grind up and recycle nickel ore as well as scrap parts
  • Phased development plan
  • Demo on earth, then in space, e.g. on Bigelow station or ISS
  • First step in creating large settlments in space.
• David Gump, CEO:
  • Prospect and retrieve asteroid materials, use techniques like the micogravity Foundry to process those materials.
  • Describes the Fireflies spacecraft for prospecting and Dragonflies for retrieving samples
  • "Harvesting missions" bring back tons of materials. Commercial ops by 2020.
  • Fuel for comsats. In discussions with one major telecom firm.
  • Build a communciation platform in geo with space derived materials.
  • Space based solar power becomes economically feasible with space based construction materials rather than launched from the ground.
  • NASA can get to Mars much easier if fuel obtained from space rather than launched.
  • Sell prospecting data and technology to govt space programs.
  • Briefed NASA and OMB on the DSI plan.
  • Can test new technology cheaply.
  • Corporate sponsorships.
  • Public participation opportunites
• Daniel Faber, spacecraft designer
  • Great progress in spacecraft minaturization in the past few years has brought costs down to where DSI's goals are feasible.
  • Standardization of low cost Cubesat hardware
  • Build on lessons of govt space programs
  • Plan is to launch several spacecraft at once. Provides redundancy
  • Firefly missions will be fast.
  • Imaging and geology
  • Target selection issues. Flagged several good prospects
  • Dragonfly - not showing real design to not give proprietary info to competitors
  • Sample return and pilot processing
  • Will scale up after this pioneering phase.
• John Mankins, Chief Technical Officer
  • Strategic plan does not involve in magic technology.
  • Fundamental tools available with existing technology to reach, extract and retrieve materials
  • Processing tech needs some development but don't involve huge steps.
  • Potential users won't start planning to take advantage of such in-space resources if someone doesn't plan to offer them.
• Rick:
  • Lists members of advisory panel.
  • Includes fomer commercial astronaut Charles Walker, Bob Twiggs, inventor of Cubesats
  • Looking for customers and investors.
  • Introduces new video.
• Q&A:
  • Gump - near term benefits include science, education, public involvement, etc.
  • Major benefits in the 2020 time frame.
  • [Lost connection for a few minutes]
  • Rick - looking at places to establish facilities.
  • Gump - can utilize space resources under Outer Space Treaty.
  • There are 2-3 million NEOs. No interference among companies for a long time.
  • Govt Funding?
  • Rick: opportunities for partnerships with NASA and other govt. space program.
  • Longer term tasks are proper role for govt. Shorter term tasks can be done by private sector. SpaceX, Bigelow, etc. make NASA spending more cost-effective.
  • Funding?
  • Gump: Have some investors, hope this briefing will attract more. On short term also expect sales income. (Walt Anderson not involved.)
  • Gump: Earliers IPO would be in 2016 timeframe when Dragonflies are on their way.
  • Covey: Using up an asteroid threat will remove it as a threat.

Video of the briefing will be available later along with the promotional video.

More notes on the event:

• GoDeepSpace (GoDeepSpace) on Twitter
• Alan Boyle (b0yle) on Twitter
• Jeff Foust (jeff_foust) on Twitter
• Douglas Messier (spacecom) on Twitter

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