Editing The Economics of Asteroid Mining and Space Resources (section)

== <span style="color: #FFFFFF;">Understanding</span> ==
Asteroid economics is understood through '''Accessibility''' and '''Markets'''.

'''1. The "Gas Station" Model (Water = Propellant)''':
"The most valuable thing in space is water."
* (See Article 589). "Launching" "Rocket Propellant" from "Earth" to "Fuel" "Deep Space Missions" is "Enormously Expensive."
* "Water Ice" from "C-Type Asteroids" or "Lunar Poles" can be **"Electrolyzed"** into **"Hydrogen + Oxygen"** — "Standard" "Rocket Fuel."
* "An In-Space" "Fuel Depot" "Supplied" by "Asteroid Mining" "Reduces" "Mission Costs" by **"90%."**
* "Water" is **"Currency."**

'''2. The "Market Flood" Problem (PGMs on Earth)''':
"Infinite platinum makes platinum worthless."
* (See Article 138). "Platinum" "Costs" **"$30,000/kg"** on "Earth" because it is **"Rare."**
* "A Single" "M-Type Asteroid" "Contains" **"More Platinum"** than "Has Been Mined" in "All of Human History."
* "Returning" "This Platinum" to "Earth" would **"Crash" "The Platinum Market"** — "Destroying" "The Value" of "The Investment."
* "Scarcity" is **"The Business Model."**

'''3. The "Space Economy" Model (Use In-Space)''':
"Mine it, use it up there."
* (See Article 718). "The Smarter" "Economic Model": "Use" "Asteroid Resources" to "Build" "Space Infrastructure" (**O'Neill Cylinders, Solar Power Satellites, Fuel Depots**) — "Never Return" "Bulk Material" to "Earth."
* "Earth Markets" are "Supplied" with "High-Value," "Low-Mass" "Products" (New Medicines, Crystals, Data).
* "The Asteroids" "Feed" "The Space Economy," not "The Terrestrial" one.
* "Value" is **"Off-World."**

'''The 'Psyche' Mission (2023)'''': **NASA's Psyche spacecraft** launched to "Rendezvous" with **16 Psyche** — the "First" "Mission" to "A Metallic Asteroid." It proved that "Space Mining" is moving from **"Science Fiction to Science Reconnaissance."**
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