SBIR Phase I: Electromagnetic-ablative PGM Refining for In-situ Asteroid Mining

SBIR 第一阶段：用于小行星原位采矿的电磁烧蚀铂族金属精炼

• 批准号: 2327078
• 负责人: Vyacheslav Lebedev
• 金额: $ 27.5万
• 依托单位: ASTROFORGE, INC.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2024-03-01 至 2024-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2327078&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; Electromagnetic; ablative; PGM

This SBIR Phase I project will work to revolutionize the precious metal commodity market through asteroid mining. The company aims to identify and mine near-Earth asteroids containing Platinum Group Metals (PGMs), which are crucial components in various US industries such as automotive, electronics, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy systems, and consumer goods. Currently, the United States relies heavily on non-US sources of PGMs and other critical minerals, most of which are outside the free world. AstroForge's technology will increase the economic competitiveness and national security of the US by providing a domestic source of these critical metals.The SBIR Phase I project involves developing an ablative refining process for in-situ asteroid mining, using laser heating to process complex asteroid ore for separation and extraction of platinum group metals. This approach to developing a refinery in space is compatible with the mission goals and constraints, such as rapid extraction of PGMs to reduce radiation dose. The project also aims to address the environmental impact of traditional refining methods on Earth by creating a new system for refining metals in space that does not rely on chemical processes and their associated toxic waste production.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

SBIR 第一阶段项目将致力于通过小行星采矿彻底改变贵金属商品市场。该公司的目标是识别和开采含有铂族金属 (PGM) 的近地小行星，铂族金属是汽车、电子、医疗设备、制药、可再生能源系统和消费品等美国各行业的关键组成部分。目前，美国严重依赖非美国来源的铂族金属和其他关键矿物，其中大部分来自自由世界之外。 AstroForge 的技术将通过提供这些关键金属的国内来源来提高美国的经济竞争力和国家安全。SBIR 第一阶段项目涉及开发用于原位小行星采矿的烧蚀精炼工艺，使用激光加热来加工复杂的小行星矿石铂族金属的分离和萃取。这种在太空开发炼油厂的方法符合任务目标和限制，例如快速提取铂族金属以减少辐射剂量。该项目还旨在通过创建一种在太空精炼金属的新系统，不依赖化学过程及其相关的有毒废物产生，解决传统精炼方法对地球的环境影响。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并被认为是值得的通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估来获得支持。