With Earth's natural resources running out, people are looking to mineral-rich asteroids to meet demand.
"They essentially hold on to the side of the asteroid for dear life as it screams through the solar system."
That's where Scar-e comes in. Its powerful claw, designed in partnership with Tohoku University in Japan, should grip on to an asteroid in space to stop it from floating away.AMC/Space Robotics Lab at Tohoku University"I am terrified of spiders", Mitch says, "so I thought that was quite appropriate."
Getting resources out of asteroids presents a different challenge to getting them from Earth, says Prof John Bridges, a University of Leicester scientist involved in theThis is because these small, inert space rocks have not undergone the same geological processes as their massive planetary cousins. Prof Bridges believes commercial space mining is a "fascinating area", but is doubtful it will solve the world's resource problem.
Dhara Patel, from the UK's National Space Centre, explains that when it comes to who owns what, space law is not fit for purpose. "The Outer Space Treaty says 'space is the province of all mankind'. The problem is that it lacks detail," Dhara says.
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