Before I say anything just watch this,
Asteroids are one of the bad-ass party poopers out there. We’ve already told you about some of the rogue bullies out there who gave us a close shave earlier this year and we all saw the dashboard cam recordings of the asteroid that blew up in the atmosphere over Russia (Yes, it did not even touch the ground and it caused such pandemonium). We also told you about some of the brave new ventures of humankind to prevent such catastrophe. More on that story here.
While NASA is planning on wrangling an asteroid, put it on orbit around the moon and land astronauts there(audacious plan indeed!), Some among us are more interested in what can we make out of these, literally. When Planetary Resources announced their plan to mine asteroids for precious metals, a lot of us thought they were just a bunch of crazy space nerds who are going to blow up some thing. While the former is actually true, they are committed to their goal.
They introduced their first contingent of telescopes that will scour the skies for potential digs, the ARKYD 100 series. Its so small it can fit in your overhead cabin but don’t be fooled by its size, it employs some of the most advanced robotics and optics there is. They’ll launch the first array of these explorers soon but the main the main aim of the company is to bring the production costs so low that these space crafts can be manufactured in a production line.
Fun Fact: ARKYD industries was the company that built droids, weapons and ships in the Star Wars universe. The first line of space crafts are named after them. Or are they? >-)
This is all just greedy corporate plans for dominating the final frontier, whats different about them you ask?
Including all the telescopes that they are going to put out there, the company is going to put one extra telescope up there just for the people of the wold can use it! They are bearing all the research cost for the telescope and they have launched a kickstarter campaign to fund the production of the satellite alone. Yes, they are launching a orbiting space telescope just so that amateur space geeks like me can point that at Uranus and geekout!
While it is for all the reasons that I mentioned earlier, It is also to create public awareness about space and science; as Planetary Resources puts it “to get them kicking for space and science”. For a fraction of the cost what you could possibly imagine, you get to use the telescope, you can get your whole school chances to glimpse at the face of the universe! Look at the stars, ponder our place in the universe, contemplate out futility against the vastness of the cosmos. But none of these interest you, you can get a ‘Space Selfie’; Yes, you can sent them one of your pictures, they’ll take a picture with a backdrop of the revolving earth. That would make one cool Facebook picture!
They’ve turned some big heads to support their venture, People like Bill Nye, Hank Green and Jason Silva are promoting the campaign. To end on a high note, here is epiphany addict and wonder junkie Jason Silva telling you why this matters! For all you space geeks out there! This is it people, time to break that piggy bank!
