Private space company TransAstra has announced a feasibility study for its 'New Moon' mission, which aims to capture and relocate a house-sized asteroid to a stable point near Earth. The mission would use robotic spacecraft to bag the asteroid and bring it to a processing facility for resource extraction, potentially providing water for propellant and minerals for space manufacturing. The study, funded by an unnamed customer, will be completed by May to refine mission plans and spacecraft requirements.
Background
Asteroid mining has long been discussed as a way to access resources in space without the high cost of launching materials from Earth. Private companies are increasingly exploring ambitious space resource utilization projects.
- Source
- Ars Technica
- Published
- Mar 19, 2026 at 03:00 AM
- Score
- 7.0 / 10