The aerospace sector is embarking on an audacious venture to secure off-world resources through a groundbreaking initiative: capturing a 100-ton asteroid with a massive inflatable bag and relocating it to Earth's orbit.
This innovative concept, introduced by the Los Angeles-based startup TransAstra, is termed the "New Moon" mission. The project aims to rendezvous with a house-sized asteroid weighing approximately 100 metric tons and position it in a stable orbit near Earth, where it can be mined for valuable resources.
Currently backed by an undisclosed client, TransAstra is finalizing a feasibility study with the ambitious objective of transforming the captured asteroid into a robotic mining facility.
"Our vision is to establish a base for robotic research and development focused on materials processing and manufacturing," stated Joel Sercel, CEO of TransAstra.
If all goes according to plan, the inaugural retrieval mission could launch as soon as 2028. By relocating the asteroid to the Earth-moon system or the Earth-Sun L2 point--an area approximately 1.5 million kilometers away, where gravitational forces allow objects to remain stationary relative to Earth--TransAstra aspires to revolutionize how we obtain water and precious metals for deep space exploration.
The Asteroid Capture Technique
One might wonder how a machine can effectively capture a spinning space rock. TransAstra utilizes a unique "capture bag" technology, creating enormous bags from advanced materials like Kapton. A spacecraft will approach the target asteroid, expand the bag to envelop it completely, secure it, and then tow it away.
Though this approach may seem radical, it is technically feasible. In October 2025, an astronaut aboard the International Space Station successfully tested a 3-foot prototype bag in a microgravity environment.
"We demonstrated the capability to deploy and retrieve the bag multiple times in space," Sercel remarked, highlighting the milestone as critical in de-risking the technology for future missions.
With a $2.5 million NASA contract and additional private funding, TransAstra is scaling its efforts, planning to test a full-sized 32-foot capture bag at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
The Economic Potential of Asteroid Mining
The motivation behind this ambitious project is clear: the economic benefits are substantial. Currently, every ounce of water, fuel, and metal utilized in space must be launched from Earth, which is costly. To establish permanent space stations or facilitate missions to Mars, local resources are essential.
Asteroids represent a treasure trove of accessible raw materials. They contain metals for manufacturing and water that can be converted into rocket fuel. Moreover, they provide inert materials that can serve as radiation shielding for spacecraft and crews.
If successful, TransAstra plans to create an orbital factory to process these materials, paving the way for a sustainable space industry.
"We aim to bring an asteroid to the Earth-moon system and convert it into a robotic research outpost for materials processing and manufacturing," Sercel concluded.
Looking Ahead
Finding suitable asteroids is a challenge, but advancements in sky-survey technology are promising. TransAstra anticipates that astronomers will identify around 260 potential targets in the coming years, aided by data from the newly operational Vera C. Rubin Observatory.
With the feasibility study set to conclude in May, TransAstra is poised for a significant leap forward in space resource acquisition. If fully funded, the first retrieval mission could launch by 2028 or 2029, potentially transforming the landscape of space exploration and resource utilization.