"Using inexpensive technology solutions and combining inherited space program with the innovation of the current technological young geniuses, we will be able to realize what was considered impossible just a few years ago," said the head of the Deep Space Industries Rick Tumlinson.

In DSI plan to launch the first exploration spacecraft, which was called Firefly, two years later. The Firefly mission will take from 2 to 6 months. 25 killogramovogo the machine is built from components of the so-called CubeSat small research satellites into orbit and will be displayed on the booster together with one of the large satellites in the framework of the planned launch.

Tomlinson sure that modern technology, particularly computer, it allows if necessary relatively quickly build and deliver into orbit tens of such devices as Firefly: "We can create amazing machines that are smaller, cheaper and faster than ever. Imagine a line on manufacture of Firefly collected, equipped and prepared to head for the study of any object that will be close to Earth."

Deep Space Industries is not the first commercial organization, which is engaged in researches in the field of mining in space. The Director of the famous "Avatar" James Cameron and the leaders of Google, Larry page and Eric Schmidt support the project Planetary Resources, who founded the Creator of the X Prize-Peter Diamandis and one of the first space tourists Eric Anderson, and advises former NASA astronaut Tom Jones. In Planetary Resources are also working to create unmanned spacecraft for the extraction of fuel components and a number of minerals, particularly gold and platinum group metals, of astronomical objects.

The potential profit from space extraction is calculated huge numbers. Last year was officially confirmed to be in one single asteroid - 241 Germania, located in the Solar system, contains mineral resources of $95.8 trillion - almost as much is the annual GDP of the entire world. By the way, the international Treaty of 1967 provides that all the asteroids in the near-earth space are considered to be "public domain". In this regard, it is obvious that the question of ownership of one or another cosmic body, is still open.

However, in a press release DSI notes that the second series of satellites, the company intends to start no later than 2016, after a series of intelligence missions, collection, delivery to Earth and study the first samples acquired by the robotic on asteroids. The only possible problem on the realization of the new project today in DSI consider financing because in contrast to the Planetary Resources, supported such wealthy people like Cameron, Schmidt and page, Deep Space Industries still count only on commercial sponsorship: "the X Prize, and [the company] Unilever and Red Bull to support space programs annually spend tens of millions of dollars, for the opportunity to sponsor the flight FireFly too bude interesting".

It is also known that a similar scheme of financing for future NASA missions proposed to the U.S. Congress influential lobbyist Robert Walker. According to the Senator, following the Rover could sponsor and the company Go Daddy. Released today the press-release Deep Space Industries meanwhile, said that the company is looking for customers and sponsors ready "to understand the perspective and to take part in creating the "new space economy".