Space visionaries have long speculated that asteroid mining could unlock a nearly limitless supply of precious metals, reducing the environmental damage caused by terrestrial mining. As Gialich put it, “From my perspective, all we’re doing is removing a rock from space, or hollowing out a rock in space, that doesn’t have any life on it, doesn’t have any ecology at all, doesn’t have any indigenous peoples.”
Launching Deep-Space Mission
AstroForge’s second robotic spacecraft, named Odin, is set to embark on a historic deep-space mission aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. This launch will also carry a privately built moon lander and a NASA-operated lunar orbiter. Approximately 45 minutes after liftoff, Odin will separate from the rocket and begin its solo journey into deep space, while the Athena lunar lander from Intuitive Machines and NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer will continue on their respective missions.
Remarkably, Odin was developed in just ten months—a significantly shorter timeframe than typical aerospace projects.
The Journey to Asteroid 2022 OB5
Odin will initially travel alongside the Athena lunar lander before separating to pursue its primary objective. The spacecraft is expected to reach the far side of the Moon in five days and will then spend approximately 300 days navigating through deep space. Its destination: an asteroid known as 2022 OB5.
