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ATA Driller G1DX2 -

Then there’s the question of whether proposed mining techniques will even work in space environments. Different planetary bodies have different atmospheres (or none), gravity, geology, and electrostatic environments (for example, they may have electrically charged soil due to particles from the Sun).

Although mining provides resources that are essential to the basic needs of civilisation and the requirements of the high technology world that most of us live in, nevertheless, it can result in substantial environmental and human health problems.

Resources are extremely expensive to launch from Earth. As of 2018, it cost about $3645 to launch one kilogram of material into low Earth orbit, and more to launch it higher, or onto the Moon. It’s likely materials mined in space will be used in space, to help save on these costs.