Space News: Asteroid Rim Could Support Trillions of Dollars, Says Christopher Wanjek | Science | New

This claim was made by Christopher Wanjek, a science writer author of “Spacefarers: How Humans Will Settle the Moon, Mars, and Beyond”. According to the most recent United Nations estimate, the current human population is around 7.8 billion.

However, some scientists believe humanity will eventually colonize space beyond Earth, potentially allowing for huge population growth.

NASA plans to return a human to the moon by 2024 and then set up a permanent base on the lunar surface.

He then hopes to land a human astronaut on Mars, the first planet humans will ever set foot on beyond Earth.

Speaking to Express.co.uk, Mr Wanjek said the colonization of space would open up enormous resources to the human species.

He argued that the resources available in the edge of the asteroid could facilitate an explosion in the number of humans.

Mr Wanjek commented, “In a world of unlimited resources, when you absorb space resources, it opens everything up and suddenly no one is your enemy. Everyone has potential.

“There will be so many more people who have more ideas for you to get into this positive cycle of what humans can do and they can tap into these infinite resources of the solar system.

“There are enough resources in the edge of the asteroid to support trillions of people.

READ MORE: Bigger than the Shard and ‘potentially dangerous’ asteroid expected to pass

“When you think of minerals and oxygen and everything you need for life, it’s all there.

Mr Wanjek argued that space hotels would play a key role in the commercialization of space and said they would likely be built before a permanent moon base.

The Trump administration has set a goal for NASA to return humans to the moon in 2024, through its Artemis program, and then create a permanent base.

Mr. Wanjek commented: “We will definitely have manned space hotels and space tourism in this decade.

DON’T MISS

The Hubble Fireworks Galaxy is the most explosive galaxy in the universe [REVEAL]
NASA confirms 4 new space missions – Aspera, Pandora, StarBurst and PUEO [INSIGHT]
China to start building space station within MONTH [BOMBSHELL]

“I don’t think the moon base will be happening this decade.

“This plan to bring humans back to the moon by 2024 is unfortunate. It was a bad idea at first and now with the pandemic it certainly won’t happen.

“What you want to do, and what NASA was planning to do, is slowly come back to it by building an infrastructure.

“Send in robots, map the area, set up infrastructure.

“We’re not going to learn anything by sending a few humans over there to do nothing and waste a lot of money.”

“Getting people to the moon by 2024 is actually going to hamper our ability to have a base there by the end of this decade.”

Mr. Wanjek stressed the importance of business opportunities to foster the development of human space.

Several companies, including Virgin Galactic by Sir Richard Branson and Blue Origin by Jeff Bezos, are currently developing vehicles for sub-orbital space tourism.

Mining could also play a key role, according to the science writer, with deposits of iron and silicone available on the Moon as well as water that could be broken down to provide oxygen and hydrogen. .

He commented: “The producers of silver would be mining, if it is feasible, and tourism which is probably more doable than mining.

“Everything works in parallel. You’re attracting more people interested in space by launching people into low earth orbit to go to maybe an expandable space hotel.

“As more and more people get involved, the cost will surely drop and that means more people will be able to access it.”