CU Boulder researcher lands NASA grant to advance asteroid mining

This illustration depicts the technology envisioned by University of Colorado Assistant Professor Jay McMahon's proposal "Dismantling Rubble Pile Asteroids with Area-of-Effect Soft-bots," which has secured at $125,000 NASA grant. (Courtesy illustration / Jay McMahon)

If humans in future decades realize a goal of mining asteroids for water, Jay McMahon may very well be able to take credit for helping to make it happen.

McMahon, 34, is the recipient of one of 15 Phase I proposals receiving awards announced Thursday by NASA for early stage technology projects considered visionary concepts in future space exploration.

McMahon's proposal is titled "Dismantling Rubble Pile Asteroids with Area-of-Effect Soft-bots," and like the other 14 Phase I grant recipients, he will receive about $125,000 to cover nine months of work starting in May.

His co-investigators on the project, also at CU, are Kurt Maute, a professor in the Smead Aerospace Engineering Department and director of the Center for Aerospace Structures, as well as Nikolaus Correll, a robotics expert and assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science.

Read more: http://www.dailycamera.com/cu-news/ci_30907417/cu-boulder-researcher-lands-nasa-grant-advance-asteroid