2008 Isaac Asimov Memorial Debate: Mining the Sky

Planets, moons, asteroids, and comets contain natural resources such as water, minerals, and trace elements that may have survival value to visiting astronauts and economic value to life on earth. How did we learn of these materials? How would one go about mining them? Who owns these resources, if anyone? And should they be mined at all?

Our panel will weigh in on these questions and more in this year's Isaac Asimov Memorial Debate.

This year's panel includes Catherine A. Conley, Henry R. Hertzfeld, Murray W. Hitzman, John S. Lewis and Curtis Wayne Manning. The debate was hosted and moderated by Neil deGrasse Tyson.