Economic challenges include the need for substantial upfront capex , payoff uncertainty , and time . Organisations aiming to mine in space must develop and produce equipment , train crew for the mission ( s ), and fund the launch , delivery , support , and possibly even return of assets before any return on investment is realised . While missions to the moon require comparatively little travel time , reaching even near- Earth asteroids takes years . Addressing these challenges is , as most economic barriers to space are , accomplished by partnering with government space agencies whose deep pockets and long time horizons can sustain operations that might not achieve positive ROI for many years .
“ A mining operation on the moon that could produce liquid rocket fuel would dramatically reduce the cost of expeditions to Mars , the asteroid belt , and beyond ”
CLAY KILLINGSWORTH RESEARCH ANALYST , GUIDEHOUSE
72 November 2021