NASA Tables Asteroid Mission
June 27, 2022
Citing software testing problems, NASA has indefinitely delayed sending a spacecraft to study the metal-rich asteroid Psyche, viewed as a promising target for extracting minerals for use in future space applications. Still, the time is right for the United States to lead in developing policies to guide this and other types of space resource extraction when they become feasible, as Ian Christensen and his colleagues write in Issues. To help, the authors propose a set of principles to underpin a policy framework that will support a vibrant new industry that is sustainable and whose benefits extend beyond a few spacefaring nations.