National Space Society

Space Forum Nov. 13: Asteroid Mining: Bringing Wealth Back to Earth

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The National Space Society invites you to the next Space Forum

Thursday, November 13, 2024, 9:00 pm to 10:15 pm EST

Asteroid Mining:
Bringing Wealth Back to Earth

With special guest

Larry Bartoszek

Larry Bartoszek

NSS Space Ambassador
Owner, Bartoszek Engineering

For decades, visionaries have imagined mining the vast resources of the Solar System—and several companies are working to make that dream a reality. But why talk about asteroid mining now?

As our speaker Larry Bartoszek noted in a presentation at ISDC®2024, even the most ambitious rotating space habitats—like the Stanford Torus—face a major constraint: the ability to lift mass into orbit. To make large-scale space habitats economical, we must look beyond Earth and turn to the raw materials available in space itself.

Building such habitats may cost trillions of dollars with little immediate return, but asteroid mining—especially of platinum-group metals and other valuable resources—offers the potential for enormous near-term returns. At scale, it could finance the large-scale settlements we hope to see.

In this Space Forum, Larry will explore what has been accomplished so far in asteroid rendezvous and sample-return missions and what challenges remain to scale up mining operations to their full potential. Could mining the asteroids be the key to unlocking permanent space settlements? Join us and find out—register today!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Larry Bartoszek holds dual degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Physics from the University of Illinois and is a licensed professional engineer in Illinois. He is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the American Welding Society, ASM International, the Chicago Society for Space Studies, the National Space Society, and serves as the Vice President of the International Space Elevator Consortium (ISEC). He is also an NSS Space Ambassador.

Larry owns Bartoszek Engineering, a consulting firm specializing in mechanical design for the nuclear and high-energy physics research community worldwide, and has supported major national laboratories, universities, and government projects, building systems ranging from tabletop devices to massive three-story, 120-ton machines. Since 2004, Larry has pursued his interest in the Space Elevator, developing conceptual designs for climbers.

Register today to reserve your seat and ask your questions. Use the link below.

Register no later than November 13 at 8 pm EST

Past NSS Space Forums and Town Halls may be viewed here.

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