Planetary Resources aims to be the leading provider of resources for people and products in space through its goal of identifying, extracting, and refining resources from near-Earth asteroids. The company's first technology demonstration satellite, the Arkyd-3, launched from Cape Canaveral in 2015, and deployed from the International Space Station. Also, the company successfully lobbied towards the passage of the U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act (H.R. 2262) which recognizes the right of U.S. citizens to own asteroid resources they obtain and encourages the commercial exploration and utilization of resources from asteroids. In 2016, the company announced a partnership with the Government of Luxembourg to advance the space resources industry and in 2017, Luxembourg’s Chamber of Deputies passed a law recognizing the right to space-based resources. In 2018, the company launched the Arkyd-6 containing a demonstration of technology designed to detect water resources in space and has completed the world’s first deep space resource exploration plan to characterize hydrated resources on near-Earth asteroids.
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mediaBlockchain venture production studio ConsenSys, Inc. has acquired the pioneering space company Planetary Resources, Inc. through an asset-purchase transaction. Planetary Resources’ President & CEO Chris Lewicki and General Counsel Brian Israel have joined ConsenSys in connection with the acquisition. Previously, Chris Lewicki worked at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory as Flight Director of the Spirit &…
MoreMission Success: Arkyd-6 tests key technologies for commercial space resource exploration
April 24, 2018On January 12, 2018, we launched the Arkyd-6, a 6U CubeSat, a demonstration platform for technology intended to detect water resources in space. The launch on the Indian PSLV C40 was spectacular and within hours after our spacecraft reached its polar Earth orbit, the team began to regularly receive healthy telemetry from the spacecraft. The…
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Planetary Resources has been working on the Arkyd-6 spacecraft for a few years. The last time we saw Arkyd-6 was during delivery last November. We’re incredibly excited to share that the Arkyd-6 spacecraft launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre onboard PSLV-C40 on January 12, 2018. The launch went well and Arkyd-6 was successfully deployed into…
MorePlanetary Resources Launches Latest Spacecraft in Advance of Space Resource Exploration Mission
January 12, 2018Arkyd-6 to validate water detection technology and cost-saving design methodology Redmond, Wash. – January 12, 2018 – Planetary Resources today announced the successful launch of the Arkyd-6, a 6U CubeSat, containing a demonstration of technology designed to detect water resources in space. The team has already begun to receive telemetry from the spacecraft. The data…
MoreCountdown to the Arkyd-6 launch & its first few hours in space
January 10, 2018Our Arkyd-6 spacecraft will be riding as a secondary payload onboard the Indian Space Research Organization’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). The PSLV will launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Southern India. About a half hour after the PSLV takes off, the fourth stage of the rocket will deploy Arkyd-6 into its target…
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How does Arkyd-6 help develop future Planetary Resources spacecraft?
December 18, 2017We are underway with the development of Planetary Resources’ next spacecraft platform – the Arkyd-301. Our latest completed spacecraft, the Arkyd-6, has helped create the technical framework for Arkyd-301. We expect to learn more once our Arkyd-6 spacecraft launches and enters into operation in early 2018. After Arkyd-6 launches, we enter our initial operations…
MoreArkyd-6 is a technical evolution of our Arkyd-3 spacecraft. Its avionics, software, structure, and mechanisms are all improved from the previous generation, and we’re in the process of improving it once again for the Arkyd-301 platform. But more than just a technical advancement, Arkyd-6 allowed us to evolve our design and engineering philosophies as well….
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It took a diversity of backgrounds and expertise to design and build the Arkyd-6 spacecraft. Here’s a glimpse of our amazing team.
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Asteroid mining is the key to our future expansion into space
November 30, 2017Asteroid mining is the key to our future expansion into space. Planetary Resources is conducting the first commercial exploration of resources on near Earth asteroids. The first resource that we’re interested in is water. Water, when you break it down into the elements Hydrogen and Oxygen, is rocket fuel – currently the best way to…
MoreDo you want to learn about where we built the Arkyd-6 spacecraft? Our CIO & Director of Infrastructure Ray Ramadorai describes the key equipment and facilities that were instrumental in designing, manufacturing, testing, and integrating the Arkyd-6 spacecraft.
MoreWe’d like to introduce the Arkyd-6 spacecraft! This 6U cubesat is packed with power including 17 computing elements. The Arkyd-6 is part of our R&D program assisting us in the design of the Arkyd-301 spacecraft that will detect water on near-Earth asteroids. Learn more about Arkyd-6 here.
MoreWe are excited to share with you that we’ve delivered the Arkyd-6 spacecraft, our second technology demonstrator. The spacecraft has officially begun its journey to the launch pad. In the weeks leading up to launch day, we’ll be sharing with you information on the Arkyd-6, its mission and the team who built it – so,…
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Today, a small asteroid, 2012 TC4, will pass very close to Earth. It was originally discovered in October 2012 as it sped by our planet at approximately one-fourth the distance from Earth to the Moon. 2012 TC4 is one of more than 16,000 near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) that regularly pass by our neighborhood in space. A…
MoreEver been 5,000 feet below Earth’s surface? Asteroid miners explore Barrick’s Hemlo Mine
September 22, 2017At nearly a mile below the surface (that’s around four Empire State Buildings), Hemlo showcases a part of Earth that is unlike anything experienced on the surface. Recently, a team of asteroid miners were invited underground to share ideas with Barrick’s Innovation Strategy Team. The middle of Earth’s crust may seem very different from the…
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Luxembourg, Luxembourg – 13 July 2017 – Today, Luxembourg’s Chamber of Deputies passed a law, with near unanimity, regarding the exploration and utilisation of space resources. The new law will enter into force on 1 August. Luxembourg is the first European country to have a legal framework recognising the right to space-based resources that they have…
MoreWashington D.C. – May 23, 2017 – Peter Marquez, Vice President of Global Engagement for Planetary Resources, submitted a testimony for a hearing titled “Reopening the American Frontier: Exploring How the Outer Space Treaty Will Impact American Commerce and Settlement in Space.” Click Here to Read and Watch the Archived Hearing Click Here to Read…
MoreA veteran international technology lawyer, Mr. Israel led the U.S. Government’s approach to space resource utilization Redmond, Washington – May 22, 2017 – Planetary Resources, the asteroid mining company, announced today that it has named Brian Israel as General Counsel. Mr. Israel will oversee the legal, regulatory, and compliance functions for the company, its parent, and…
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First commercial asteroid prospecting mission to launch by 2020 Redmond, Washington – November 3, 2016 – Planetary Resources, Inc., the asteroid mining company, announced today that it has finalized a 25 million euro agreement that includes direct capital investment of 12 million euros and grants of 13 million euros from the Government of the…
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Planetary Resources and the Government of Luxembourg Partner to Advance the Space Resource Industry
June 13, 2016Company establishing European headquarters in Luxembourg Redmond, Washington, USA – June 13, 2016 – Planetary Resources, Inc., the asteroid mining company, announced today that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the banking institution Société Nationale de Crédit et d’Investissement (SNCI). This partnership with Luxembourg’s…
MoreBayer and Planetary Resources intend to collaborate to improve agriculture with space data
May 31, 2016Monheim, May 31, 2016 – Bayer and the aerospace technology company Planetary Resources, based in Redmond, Washington, USA, have signed a memorandum of understanding about the development of applications and products based on satellite images. Bayer intends to purchase these data from Planetary Resources to create new agricultural products and improve existing ones. The collaboration…
MoreSpace-based multi-sensor platform will better manage and increase humanity’s access to natural resources Redmond, Washington – May 26, 2016 – Planetary Resources, Inc., the asteroid mining company, announced today that it has secured US$21.1 million in Series A funding. The capital will be used to deploy and operate Ceres, an advanced Earth observation business that features…
MorePlanetary Resources & 3D Systems Reveal First Ever 3D Printed Object from Asteroid Metals
January 7, 2016The future of space colonization and industrialization can now be visualized. Planetary Resources, in collaboration with our partner 3D Systems, have developed the first ever direct metal print from asteroid metals. At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) today in Las Vegas, NV., we unveiled the geometric object on the Engadget stage. (WATCH the full video…
MoreRedmond, Wash. – November 25, 2015 – Planetary Resources, the asteroid mining company, applauds President Obama who signed the U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act (H.R. 2262) into law. This law recognizes the right of U.S. citizens to own asteroid resources they obtain and encourages the commercial exploration and utilization of resources from asteroids.
MoreAsteroid Property Rights Bill on its way to the President’s Desk for Signature into Law
November 16, 2015Planetary Resources has a lot to celebrate today as a historic piece of legislation is on its way to be signed into law. H.R. 2262 recognizes the right of U.S. citizens to own asteroid resources they obtain in space, and we at Planetary Resources commend the members of Congress who promoted the historic legislation. Last…
MorePlanetary Resources Applauds U.S. Congress in Recognizing Asteroid Resource Property Rights
November 10, 2015Redmond, Wash. – November 10, 2015 — Planetary Resources, Inc., the asteroid mining company, praises the members of Congress who promoted historic legislation (H.R. 2262) that recognizes the right of U.S. citizens to own asteroid resources they obtain as property and encourages the commercial exploration and recovery of resources from asteroids, free from harmful interference….
MoreWhen traditional mining companies evaluate a potential mining target, they have a couple thoughts in mind: (1) Is it technically feasible? (2) How much will it cost? (3) How much risk is involved, and (4) Will it yield a profitable return? In choosing an asteroid target for mining in space, the goals are the same, but the variables…
MoreRedmond, Washington – July 16, 2015 – Planetary Resources, Inc., the asteroid mining company, announced today that its Arkyd 3 Reflight (A3R) spacecraft deployed successfully from the International Space Station’s (ISS) Kibo airlock and has begun its 90-day mission. The demonstration vehicle will validate several core technologies including the avionics, control systems and software, which the company will incorporate…
MoreTwo NASA contract awards assist in the development of critical technologies Redmond, Washington – July 15, 2015 – Planetary Resources, the asteroid mining company, is taking steps towards its goal of opening up democratic access to the Solar System’s resources. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has awarded the company two grants to advance…
MoreThroughout history, it has been human curiosity driven by the need for resources that pushed humanity to explore. Much like our mission to extract valuable resources from asteroids to fuel an off-Earth economy, the pioneers before us searched for new frontiers to explore and expand into. But they did not do it alone. Once exploration…
MoreTo get anything into space these days, you must first launch it on a rocket. A simple trip to visualize, but the real ride to space is incredibly intense. Have you ever seen a rocket launch? Have you ever HEARD a rocket launch? If so, you have definitely FELT a rocket launch. If you haven’t…
MoreOur co-Founders Peter Diamandis and Eric Anderson often refer to this time in history as being “exponential”. This phrase is ringing true with our team this year, as we forge a path towards asteroid prospecting with two launches in 2015 of our technology demonstration spacecraft! The first of these spacecraft launched successfully into space today….
MoreAvionics is defined as the electronic systems that integrate the attitude, navigation, software and controls systems on the spacecraft. These systems are integral parts of every spacecraft and enable it to complete its mission. Here at Planetary Resources, our avionics team focuses on rapid iteration and low power consumption in our modular architecture. We develop…
MoreNASA and Planetary Resources, Inc. Announce Results of the Asteroid Data Hunter Challenge
March 15, 2015New Desktop Application Has Potential to Increase Asteroid Detection, Now Available to Public Redmond, WA – March 15, 2015 – A software application based on an algorithm created by a NASA challenge has the potential to increase the number of new asteroid discoveries by amateur astronomers. Analysis of images taken of our Solar System’s main…
MorePlanetary Resources has a new website! Take a tour and learn more than ever before about our mission, asteroids, our technology and people.
MorePlanetary Resources’ Letter to Members of Congress Regarding H.R. 5063 – the ASTEROIDS Act
September 10, 2014Below and linked here (Planetary Resources Letter to Congress) is the letter submitted by Planetary Resources to Representatives Steven Palazzo and Donna Edwards, Chairman and Ranking Member, respectively, of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee’s Space Subcommittee regarding H.R. 5063 – the ASTEROIDS Act: September 10, 2014 The Honorable Steven Palazzo 331 Cannon House…
MoreRedmond, Wash. – September 9, 2014 – Planetary Resources, Inc., the asteroid mining company, announced today that Dante Lauretta, Ph.D., professor of Planetary Science at the University of Arizona and principal investigator of OSIRIS-REx – NASA’s first asteroid sample return mission – scheduled to launch in 2016 and rendezvous with asteroid Bennu, has joined the company…
MoreRedmond, Washington – June 24, 2014 – Planetary Resources, the asteroid mining company, and Zooniverse today launched Asteroid Zoo (www.asteroidzoo.org), empowering students, citizen scientists and space enthusiasts to aid in the search for previously undiscovered asteroids. The program allows the public to join the search for Near Earth Asteroids (NEAs) of interest to scientists, NASA…
MoreHave you ever wondered why the space economy hasn’t grown with Moore’s Law like high-tech industries on Earth? Well in space one resource above all others is extraordinarily expensive and without cheap access to it, growth is limited…FUEL. The catalyst for rapid expansion into every frontier in history has been access to cheap, local resources….
MoreThird move in company history! Our new 21,000 sq. ft. office space includes an optical lab, mechanical and electrical fabrication facilities, expanded cleanroom, and mission control. Check out our facilities in detail here.
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ARKYD Exhibit is live at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, WA
April 28, 2014A new asteroid and space telescope exhibit debuts at The Museum of Flight in Seattle, WA., making it the first place where the public can see a prototype of the ARKYD space telescope currently under development by Planetary Resources, Inc. (PRI). The Museum of Flight was an instrumental partner in the success of the Kickstarter…
MoreBellevue, Washington – March 10, 2014 – NASA’s Asteroid Data Hunter contest (#AsteroidHunters) series will offer $35,000 in awards over the next six months to citizen scientists who develop improved algorithms that can be used to identify asteroids. This contest series is being conducted in partnership with Planetary Resources Inc. of Bellevue, Wash. The first contest in the…
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Planetary Resources Partners with NASA to Crowdsource Asteroid Detection
November 21, 2013Bellevue, Washington – November 21, 2013 — Planetary Resources, Inc., the asteroid mining company, has signed a Space Act Agreement with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to design and implement crowdsourcing algorithm challenges in the effort to detect, track and characterize near-Earth objects (NEOs). All data compiled and used for these challenges will be open-sourced…
MoreHere’s Why Asteroid Mining will Fuel Human Expansion into the Cosmos
November 21, 2013At Planetary Resources, our mission is to prospect and mine asteroids to address one of the paramount problems faced on Earth and beyond: resource scarcity. We are laser focused on developing the tools to grow the economy beyond Earth: radiation tolerant embedded systems, deep space communications and remote sensing capabilities, autonomous navigation, and integrated propulsion…
MorePlanetary Resources Surpasses US $1.5 Million to Launch World’s First Crowdfunded Space Telescope
July 1, 2013Achievement marks most successful Kickstarter for a space project and ranks among Top 25 campaigns in Kickstarter history Plus, Sir Richard Branson joins Planetary Resources’ core group of investors Bellevue, Washington – July 1, 2013 – Planetary Resources, Inc., the asteroid mining company, successfully completed its crowdfunding campaign yesterday to launch ARKYD – the world’s…
MoreWell here we are, in the final hours of our crowdfunding campaign. We have a lot in store for you during our LIVE FINALE EVENT beginning at 3:00 p.m. PDT today (convert to your time) through the close of our Kickstarter campaign at 7:00 p.m. PDT. But before all of that fun starts, we wanted to share with you…
MoreCompany Announces New Crowdfunding Goal to Create “Asteroid Zoo” for Public to Search for Dangerous Near-Earth Asteroids Bellevue, Washington – June 27, 2013 – Planetary Resources, the asteroid mining company, has announced a collaboration with Zooniverse that will empower citizen scientists to aid in the search for dangerous near Earth asteroids (NEAs) and support planetary…
MoreInitial launch in Spring 2014 will test avionics and control systems Planetary Resources, Inc., the asteroid mining company, will advance its mission to mine resource-rich near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) by launching the first in its Arkyd Series of spacecraft – the A3 – into low-Earth orbit as early as April 2014. The A3 is the Arkyd…
MoreInnovative collaboration will transform the manufacturing of asteroid prospecting spacecraft ROCK HILL, South Carolina, June 26, 2013 – 3D Systems (NYSE:DDD) and Planetary Resources, Inc. today announced that 3D Systems has joined Planetary Resources’ core group of investors and will be a collaborative partner in assisting Planetary Resources to develop and manufacture components of its ARKYD…
MoreAsteroid mining company announces new crowdfunding goal to enhance the ARKYD telescope with capability to search for alien planets around distant stars Bellevue, Washington – June 11, 2013 – Alien planets are out there and Planetary Resources needs your help to find them! That’s right, the same high-powered telescope technology being used by Planetary Resources…
MoreMarquez is former White House Director of Space Policy for Presidents Bush and Obama Bellevue, Wash. – June 10, 2013 – Planetary Resources, Inc., the asteroid mining company, announced today the hiring of Peter Marquez to lead the company’s global engagement. Marquez will engage with key U.S. government entities on matters of strategic domestic and global interest to assist Planetary…
MoreProviding access to an advanced space telescope for students, scientists and a new generation of citizen explorers. “Bringing space within reach” Bellevue, Washington – May 29, 2013 – Planetary Resources, Inc., the asteroid mining company, has launched a campaign for the world’s first crowdfunded space telescope to provide unprecedented public access to space and place…
MoreJoins other visionaries for next chapter in resource development Bellevue, Wash. – April 16, 2013 – Planetary Resources, Inc. announced today that Bechtel has joined their core group of investors and will be a collaborative partner in helping Planetary Resources achieve its long-term mission, which is to mine near-Earth asteroids for raw materials, ranging from…
MoreFuture asteroid mining industry will provide capability to aid the deflection of potentially hazardous objects near Earth Bellevue, Wash. – February 14, 2013 – Planetary Resources, Inc. (PRI) announced, on the eve of 2012 DA14’s close pass of Earth, that the Arkyd-100 Series – technology demonstrator for asteroid prospecting missions – will assist in the detection and characterization of potentially hazardous…
MoreAs you probably have heard, today, February 15th, a 150-foot (45 meter) asteroid is whizzing by the Earth a hair’s breath from the surface. Missing us by only 14,000 miles, well within the 22,300 mile orbit of the Geostationary satellites that orbit around the Earth’s equator. I wanted to put this in perspective for you…
MoreWe’ve been extraordinarily busy here at Planetary Resources, and it’s been a while since we’ve posted a tech update, so here’s what’s been going on. In the accompanying video, you can see one of our full scale Arkyd-100 mechanical prototypes. The Arkyd-100 is our space telescope and technology demonstrator for our Arkyd Series prospecting missions. One of the…
MorePlanetary Resources, Inc. Announces Agreement with Virgin Galactic for Payload Services
July 11, 2012“LauncherOne” to provide launch capability for the Arkyd series of robotic spacecraft for the exploration and commercial development of Near-Earth Asteroids
MoreMining asteroids for water and precious metals may sound like a sci-fi boondoggle, especially the way Jon Stewart described it shortly after our public announcement in 2012 on “The Daily Show” on Comedy Central… Neil deGrasse Tyson jumps in to help confirm that asteroid mining, is in fact….no bull!
MoreWatch our Press Conference from April 24th, 2012 – the day we revealed our company, and plans to mine asteroids. The full press release can be found HERE
MoreExpanding the resource base of humanity to include the solar system
MoreNASA vet and X Prize creator at helm of secretive space robot startup Arkyd. https://www.geekwire.com/2011/nasa-veteran-emerges-helm-arkyd-stealthy-space-travel-startup/
MoreThe company begins its first day of operations in Washington state, welcoming its first class of interns. The search for spacecraft facilities begin.
MoreARKYD Astronautics decides to build the company in Seattle, WA
September 1, 2010In evaluation locations to build the company foundation, Planetary Resources choses Seattle for its unique mixture of aerospace, information technology and quality of life.
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