The UK’s first space mining company has been set up by a former Liverpool Hope student, who is hoping to develop an extra-terrestrial economy and support the colonisation of space.
Mitch Hunter-Scullion graduated from Liverpool Hope in 2016, and immediately began work on launching the Asteroid Mining Corporation (AMC) Ltd.
He said: “After graduating I really got to work with my business; building up a network of contacts and engaging with organisations such as the Northern Space Consortium, who offer support for businesses working in the Space Industry in the North West.
“For the first year or two, I think most people believed I was mad. In fact many have told me so. However, once I appeared on BBC News and people realised this was a genuine attempt to unlock the vast resources contained within the near-earth asteroids, then I started to be taken seriously. AMC definitely seems to have captured the public imagination across the globe; this is perhaps best illustrated by me being invited to give a presentation at the prestigious Ivy League Brown University in the US.”
It was during his time at Liverpool Hope that Mitch first began to think seriously about transforming his interest into a career. While carrying out research for his International Relations and History degree dissertation, Mitch realised there was an opportunity to put his theory into practice.
“I realised that there were no British companies that wanted to mine asteroids; therefore, realising the huge economic potential of these industry; I set up AMC so the UK could be represented in this new global industry,” said Mitch.
“Studying at Liverpool Hope allowed me a lot of time for personal development and self-study; the relaxed, collegiate learning environment and excellent teaching staff really contributed to development of my own intellect and character. I didn't really choose Hope; Hope chose me. I entered Hope via Clearing due to the late start date and its location right in the heart of south Liverpool, with areas of immense cultural and historical significance seemingly round every corner.”
AMC is currently developing the Asteroid Prospecting Satellite One, which will be one of earth’s first space mining missions and aims to conduct a spectral survey of up 5,000 near-earth asteroids, in search of platinum group metal deposits.
Mitch said: “Asteroid mining will change every aspect of life on and off earth. New sources of currently scarce materials like platinum will allow for the development of new innovations and will mark the beginning of a new Industrial Revolution.
“In 20 years time, I would like to have our headquarters on the Moon as part of the European Space Agency Moon Village. I have always been interested in space and knew this would ultimately be the topic I would independently research.
“Since the Millennium, humanity has been on the cusp of immanentising the eschaton and becoming a space-faring civilisation, which I believe is our ultimate destiny as a species. Asteroid mining is one of the key technologies that will allow us to do this by providing an economic incentive for the exploration of space - first by robots and then with humans.
“I decided that asteroid mining was going to have such a disruptive effect to the global economy and international system that it would make an ideal topic for my dissertation. The flexibility offered by Hope and my dissertation tutors allowed me to research a subject that was truly on the cutting edge of innovation.”