I recently rewatched Armageddon, complete with Bruce Willis, oil drillers sent into space, and an asteroid the size of Texas racing toward Earth. Beneath all the Hollywood spectacle is a fascinating question: What could humanity actually do with an asteroid if we were able to reach and use one?
The most valuable answer may have nothing to do with destroying it. Sorry, Bruce. Asteroids could instead help us build an entirely new world.
The Supply Problem Facing Mars
Establishing a colony on Mars would involve far more than solving difficult engineering challenges. It would also require a reliable system for moving supplies, equipment, and raw materials across the Solar System.
Logistics may not sound especially exciting, but it could determine whether humans ever become a multiplanetary species or remain permanently tied to Earth.
