Asteroid mining: The next frontier for sustainability

This viewpoint explores space mining’s potential, driven by commercial advancements. It reviews asteroid selection and nickel extraction to address tech shortages. Three extraction methods—surface removal, vaporization, and electromagnetic—are analyzed, with a surface removal-vaporization combination identified as most effective. Rockets like SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy and NASA’s SLS are proposed for asteroid missions. The study concludes with an “ideal” mission scenario, emphasizing its economic and environmental benefits.