Posted on March 5, 2013, at 9:22 am .
Richard Branson and then-Gov. Bill Richardson. (Credit: Douglas Messier)
By Douglas Messier
Parabolic Arc Managing Editor
Forbes has released its annual list of the world’s billionaires. There are a record 1,426 individuals with an aggregate net worth of $5.4 trillion in the world. The table below shows the tiny handful of this group — nine individuals — who are currently or have been previously involved in space projects.
| Rank |
Name |
Net Worth (Billions) |
Age |
Nationality |
Company/
Business |
Space Project(s) |
|
19
|
Jeff Bezos |
$25.2 |
49 |
American |
Amazon.com CEO, Founder |
Blue Origin |
|
20
|
Larry Page |
$23.0 |
39 |
American |
Google CEO, Co-founder |
Google Lunar X Prize, Planetary Resources |
| 21 |
Sergey Brin |
$22.8 |
39 |
American |
Google Co-founder |
Google Lunar X Prize |
| 53 |
Paul Allen |
$15.0 |
60 |
American |
Microsoft Co-founder |
Stratolaunch, SpaceShipOne
SETI array |
| 138 |
Eric Schmidt |
$8.2 |
57 |
American |
Google Chairman |
Google Lunar X Prize, Planetary Resources |
| 272 |
Richard Branson |
$4.6 |
62 |
British |
Virgin Group CEO, Founder |
Virgin Galactic |
| 527 |
Elon Musk |
$2.7 |
41 |
American |
PayPal, Tesla Motors, Solar City |
SpaceX |
| 831 |
Guy Laliberte |
$1.8 |
53 |
Canadian |
Cirque du Soleil |
Space tourist |
| 1031 |
H. Ross Perot, Jr. |
$1.4 |
54 |
American |
computer services, real estate |
Planetary Resources |
Continue reading ‘Not Many Billionaires Focused on Commercial Space’
Posted on February 25, 2013, at 9:42 am .
Credit: Golden Spike Company
By Douglas Messier
Parabolic Arc Managing Editor
With human flights beyond Earth orbit not expected to occur for at least eight years, the private sector is increasingly eying deep space for a series of ambitious robotic and human missions for both adventure and profit.
Nine programs are currently underway that include robotic and human landings of the moon, human flybys of the moon and Mars, the mining of the moon and asteroids, and even a settlement on Mars. Backers of these initiatives include the X Prize Foundation, Google and its executives, and the world’s first space tourist, Dennis Tito.
Continue reading ‘Private Sector Seeks Profit, Adventure Beyond Earth Orbit’
Posted on April 24, 2012, at 9:54 am .
Seattle, Wash. – Planetary Resources PR – April 24, 2012 – Planetary Resources, Inc. announced today its plan to mine Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs) for raw materials, ranging from water to precious metals. Through the development of cost-effective exploration technologies, the company is poised to initiate prospecting missions targeting resource-rich asteroids that are easily accessible.
Resource extraction from asteroids will deliver multiple benefits to humanity and grow to be valued at tens of billions of dollars annually. The effort will tap into the high concentration of precious metals found on asteroids and provide a sustainable supply to the ever-growing population on Earth.
A single 500-meter platinum-rich asteroid contains the equivalent of all the Platinum Group Metals mined in history.
Continue reading ‘Planetary Resources Unveils Asteroid Mining Plan’
Posted on April 19, 2012, at 11:34 am .
Illustration of an asteroid retrieval spacecraft in the process of capturing a 7-m, 500-ton asteroid. (Image Credit: Rick Sternbach / KISS)
By Douglas Messier
Parabolic Arc Managing Editor
A new study sponsored by the Keck Institute for Space Studies (KISS) has concluded that it would be possible to return an asteroid weighing approximately 500 metric tons to high lunar orbit where it would be mined for resources by 2025.
The Asteroid Retrieval Feasibility Study, published on April 2, was prepared for KISS, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). Co-leaders of the study included John Brophy of NASA JPL/Caltech, Fred Culick of Caltech, and Louis Friedman of The Planetary Society and participants included representatives of other NASA centers, various universities, institutes and private companies.
The report may provide a preview of what a new company named Planetary Resources spearheaded by the X PRIZE Foundation’s Peter Diamandis will unveil during a press conference in Seattle next Tuesday. Two of the 34 study participants were Planetary Resources President and Chief Engineer Chris Lewicki and former astronaut Tom Jones, who is an adviser to the company. The start-up – which is backed by Google billionaires Larry Page and Eric Schmidt, Microsoft mogul Charles Simonyi, filmmaker James Cameron, and Ross Perot, Jr. – says it will “overlay two critical sectors – space exploration and natural resources – to add trillions of dollars to the global GDP. This innovative start-up will create a new industry and a new definition of ‘natural resources’.”
Continue reading ‘New Study Says Asteroid Retrieval and Mining Feasible With Existing and Near-Term Technologies’
Posted on April 18, 2012, at 10:36 am .
MEDIA ALERT
Join visionary Peter H. Diamandis, M.D.; leading commercial space entrepreneur Eric Anderson; former NASA Mars mission manager Chris Lewicki; and planetary scientist & veteran NASA astronaut Tom Jones, Ph.D. on Tuesday, April 24 at 10:30 a.m. PDT in Seattle, or via webcast, as they unveil a new space venture with a mission to help ensure humanity’s prosperity.
Supported by an impressive investor and advisor group, including Google’s Larry Page & Eric Schmidt, Ph.D.; film maker & explorer James Cameron; Chairman of Intentional Software Corporation and Microsoft’s former Chief Software Architect Charles Simonyi, Ph.D.; Founder of Sherpalo and Google Board of Directors founding member K. Ram Shriram; and Chairman of Hillwood and The Perot Group Ross Perot, Jr., the company will overlay two critical sectors – space exploration and natural resources – to add trillions of dollars to the global GDP. This innovative start-up will create a new industry and a new definition of ‘natural resources’.
Continue reading ‘Diamandis, Anderson and Simonyi to Launch Extraterrestrial Mining Company’
Posted on March 13, 2012, at 12:19 pm .
By Douglas Messier
Parabolic Arc Managing Editor
Elon Musk has made his first appearance on the Forbes list of the world’s billionaires. The 40-year-old entrepreneur has landed at 634 on the list with an estimated net worth of $2 billion.
Musk has developed the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon vehicle to send cargo and crew to the International Space Station. His company, SpaceX, has received money under NASA’s COTS (for cargo) and CCDev (crew) programs. He is also reported to have invested up to $100 million of his own funds into SpaceX.
In addition to his involvement with SpaceX, Musk is a trustee of the X PRIZE Foundation, whose space competitions include the Ansari X Prize, the Google Lunar X Prize and the Northrup Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge.
The South African-born entrepreneur also runs two other companies, the electric car producer Tesla Motors and SolarCity, which provides solar energy systems.
Continue reading ‘SpaceX’s Elon Musk Makes Debut on Forbes Billionaire’s List’
Posted on October 4, 2009, at 4:41 pm .
Google co-founder Sergey Brin (center, full head of hair) on a parabolic flight.
Forbes has come out with its list of top 400 American billionaires. Four prominent men involved in backing high-profile space ventures are on the list:
#11 Sergey Brin, Google Co-Founder
Net Worth: $15.3 billion
#11 Larry Page, Google Co-Founder
Net Worth: $15.3 billion
#17 Paul Allen, SpaceShipOne backer
Net Worth: $11.5 billion
#28 Jeffrey Bezos, Amazon.com and Blue Origin Founder
Net Worth: $8.8 billion
Posted on March 15, 2009, at 12:58 pm .
Forbes – that arbiter of all things extravagant – has come out with its annual list of the world’s richest people. The tally includes five billionaires who are playing major roles in commercial space and space tourism.
Continue reading ‘Google’s Brin, Page Top Forbes List of Billionaire Space Tourism Supporters’
Loading ...