Per the point above, setting development/equipment costs aside, it would be like needing an oil tanker of fuel to bring back a small mass of ore.
…Can you do it? Sure. It’s already been done for scientific return missions, and that makes total sense.
…Is it economical? Hell no. Mining the ocean floor, a volcano, or under the antarctic ice sheet would be orders of magnitude cheaper, much less just prospecting new suface deposits.
So, you’ve never heard of asteroid mining?
And remember, there was a time when “Around The World In Eighty Days” was science fiction.
Per the point above, setting development/equipment costs aside, it would be like needing an oil tanker of fuel to bring back a small mass of ore.
…Can you do it? Sure. It’s already been done for scientific return missions, and that makes total sense.
…Is it economical? Hell no. Mining the ocean floor, a volcano, or under the antarctic ice sheet would be orders of magnitude cheaper, much less just prospecting new suface deposits.