"Why would we attempt such a bizarre feat of astro-engineering? Because the spin of the asteroid would create enough gravity for mining equipment to be effectively used, giving us a way to tap into the rich minerals and deposits inside these celestial rocks.
In addition, researchers suggest the asteroid's rocky hull could also help keep the mining station safe from the dangers of being out in space – cosmic ray radiation and all.
This crazy idea might just be possible, according to a new study from astrophysicists at the University of Vienna in Austria, who applied some advanced gravity models to a hypothetical asteroid measuring 500 metres by 390 metres (1,640 feet by 1,280 feet).
"Loads resulting from centrifugal forces… [make] a space station in the cavern of a mined asteroid feasible," write the researchers, though there are a lot of unknowns here – the right dimensions and materials would need to be chosen, and the asteroid would need to be strong enough to support a station." Sciencealert
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Ah! This is a blessed opportunity to escape the tedium of Virginia politics and the attendant plotting and scheming that is normally and decently hidden from pubic view.
This is intriguing. Imagine a sizable living space built INSIDE an asteroid big enough to have significant gravity. I hope the pay is good. An occasional stroll in a pressure suit on the surface would need to be well padded with good old money to make living in the rock worthwhile. pl
