Pushing Asteroids

Once we find an earth bound asteroid ( with enough lead time to change its trajectory) how do we get there and how do we push it to where we need it to be?

It can be done, now (almost)

Fusion Rocket may be a great eventual solution but at this point it's just a theoretical technology. What if we start mining asteroids next (or even this) decade?

Well, chemical rockets aren't nearly as inefficient as they used to be. They still burn lots of propellant but they are now doing it at a much cheaper cost. Thus we are finally at a point where a profitable investment in a rocket (big enough to get to an asteroid and carry enough payload to push it) for the purpose of asteroid mining is within reach. Space X Starship rocket should be cheap enough to operate to get the necessary equipment and propellant into orbit where it can sit ready for deployment to a nearby asteroid.

Blowing up is not a solution.

What about just altering the asteroid's trajectory to stop it from impacting the Earth? Previously we have envisioned using powerful explosives to break up a large asteroid. And while that might be good enough to prevent a collision (though ultimately still too unpredictable to be safe, as it might set the bulk of an asteroid on an even worse trajectory) it is no good for putting an asteroid in Earth orbit, for the purpose of mining it.

Just push it

Well, if we can get enough propellant into orbit then it shouldn't be too hard to construct rockets that not only are good enough to get to an asteroid in time but also carry enough propellant to attach to an asteroid and accurately (perhaps over a number of times) park it (or at least prevent a collision with Earth). It's really just a matter of getting enough equipment and fuel to the asteroid. And that's ultimately just a matter of time and cost.

Getting material down to Earth

Then that only leaves the question of how to get mined material down to Earth. Once an asteroid is in orbit we'll have the anchor we need to initially set up a space elevator. What we need are materials strong enough and light enough to actually anchor it to the ground. I, of course, have no idea when we'll get them, but I trust that we will obtain them at the right time.

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