PBS Space Time Season 2018 Episode 22 How Asteroid Mining Will Save Earth

In season 2018 episode 22 of PBS Space Time titled "How Asteroid Mining Will Save Earth," the show explores the concept of mining asteroids for valuable resources. With the world's population increasing and resources on Earth becoming scarce, scientists and engineers are turning to space to find new sources of precious metals, minerals, and even water.

The episode begins by discussing how asteroids are the remnants of our solar system's formation and how they contain valuable resources that can be used on Earth. The show explains how asteroids are classified based on their composition and the potential resources they may contain.

The episode then dives into the current state of the asteroid mining industry. It explains how companies like Planetary Resources and Deep Space Industries are exploring the potential of asteroid mining and the challenges they face. These challenges include the high cost of launching a mining mission, the complex engineering required to capture and extract resources from an asteroid, and the legal issues surrounding asteroid ownership and extraction.

The show also discusses the benefits of asteroid mining, including the potential to reduce the cost of space exploration, provide new sources of precious metals and minerals, and even support life in space. By mining asteroids, we could potentially create self-sustaining colonies in space and reduce our reliance on Earth's resources.

In order to overcome the challenges facing the asteroid mining industry, the show explores the current and future technologies that can be used to extract resources from asteroids. These include laser ablation, where a laser is used to blast away material from an asteroid, and asteroid vaporization, where an asteroid is heated to release its resources.

Finally, the episode discusses the future of asteroid mining and its potential impact on our planet. The show concludes by emphasizing the importance of continuing research into asteroid mining and the potential it holds for the future of space exploration and our planet.

Overall, season 2018 episode 22 of PBS Space Time titled "How Asteroid Mining Will Save Earth" presents an engaging and informative exploration of the current state of the asteroid mining industry and its potential impact on the future of space exploration and our planet.