A Long Beach aerospace firm is betting on a new industrial boom: capturing asteroids | National News

It’s like shooting a bullet with another bullet.

Except the two — one the size of a trailer and the other as tall as the Empire State Building — are thousands of miles apart and moving at 7,000 miles an hour.

kAmxE’D 2 82>3=6 @7 >:==:@?D @7 5@==2CD 2?5 E96 AC@76DD:@?2= C6AFE2E:@? @7 E96 {@?8 q6249\32D65 tI{23D E92E :E 5@6D?’E >:DD]k^Am

kAm%96 4@>A2?J[ H9:49 @A6C2E6D @FE @7 2 b_[___\DBF2C6\7@@E H2C69@FD6 ?62C {@?8 q6249 p:CA@CE[ 😀 D4965F=65 E@ 56D:8? 2 DA2464C27E D6E E@ 36 =2F?4965 😕 pAC:= a_ag] xED E2C86Ei 2 A2DD:?8 2DE6C@:5]k^Am

kAm%96 =2F?49 H:== E2<6 A=246 H96? E96 2DE6C@:5 😀 2D 4=@D6 2D :E H:== 4@>6 E@ t2CE9 — 23@FE ba[___ <:=@>6E6CD 2H2J — H96? :E 5:AD 36=@H D2E6==:E6D 2?5 ?62C 6?@F89 E@ 36 D66? 3J E96 ?2<65 6J6]k^Am

kAmxE H:== E2<6 2 J62C 7C@> E96 A@:?E @7 =2F?49 7@C E96 D9:A E@ 42E49 FA H:E9 E96 2DE6C@:5[ ?2>65 pA@A9:D[ 2D :E D9@@ED A2DE E96 A=2?6ED 2?5 =@@AD 324<[ H:E9 E96 8@2= E@ >2<6 4@?E24E @? pAC:= `b[ a_ah]k^Am

kAm%96 2DE6C@:5[ @C:8:?2==J 7@F?5 😕 a__c[ :D?’E 6IA64E65 E@ C6EFC? 282:? F?E:= a_be]k^Am

kAm“(6 ;FDE 49@D6 E92E 3642FD6 :E’D DF49 2 F?:BF6 E:>6 2?5 >@>6?E 😕 9F>2? 9:DE@CJ[” D2:5 tI{23D 4@\7@F?56C y2>6D ~CDF=2<] “(6 42?’E >:DD E92E]”k^Am

kAm%96 @A6C2E:@?[ 8:G6? E92E :E E2<6D A=246 D@ 72C 7C@> E96 A=2?6E WD@>6 `__ >:==:@? <:=@>6E6CD 2H2JX[ H:== 36 =2C86=J 2FE@?@>@FD] rC6HD H:== 8:G6 @C56CD 32D65 @? 52E2 D6?E 324< E@ t2CE9[ E9@F89 E96C6 H:== 36 2 56=2J]k^Am

kAm~?46 😕 4@?E24E[ E96 A2J=@25 :E6>D H:== 36 =2F?4965 7C@> E96 4C27E @?E@ E96 2DE6C@:5 2?5 H:==[ @G6C E:>6[ DEF5J E96 9FCE=:?8 C@4< 7@C :ED 4@>A@D:E:@?[ @C:8:? 2?5 @E96C 52E2] xE’D 2 @?6\H2J 7=:89Ej E96 DA2464C27E H:== DE2J 7@C E96 C6>2:?56C @7 :ED =:76DA2? Wb E@ d J62CDX]k^Am

kAm%96 4@>A2?J’D 7F?5:?8 4@>6D 7C@> 2 >:I @7 8C2?ED 2?5 4@?EC24ED E9C@F89 E96 &]$] $A246 u@C46[ p:C u@C46[ }p$p[ 2?5 y!{] %96J 2=D@ 92G6 D6G6C2= 56D:8? 4@?EC24ED E9C@F89 E96:C C@3@E:4D E62>]k^Am

kAmu:?2?4:?8 E96:C >:DD:@?D[ 6IA=2:?65 4@\7@F?56C 2?5 49:67 7:?2?46 @77:46C uC6JC %9@C[ 4@>6D 7C@> 2 A2E49H@C< @7 3FD:?6DD A2CE?6CD 2?5 4FDE@>6CD[ 4=:6?ED 2?5 4:G:= 286?4:6D E92E A2J E@ D6?5 “A2J=@25D” E92E 42? 4@==64E 52E2 @? E96:C 3692=7 5FC:?8 E96 >:DD:@?’D @A6C2E:@?]k^Am

kAmxE’D E96 9@A6 @7 tI{23D’ 5@K6? @C D@ 6>A=@J66D E92E E9:D H:== 36 E96 62C=:6DE >@56= 7@C 2 3FC86@?:?8 :?5FDECJ @7 42AEFC:?8[ DEF5J:?8 2?5 >:?:?8 2DE6C@:5D]k^Am

kAm%96:C 3FD:?6DD H@F=5 56=G6 =2C86=J :?E@ E96 7:CDE 42E68@CJ] %96C6’D 2 =@E 2 E6=6D4@A6 42?’E E6== J@F 23@FE 2 A=2?6E @C 2DE6C@:5] u@C E96 =@?86DE E:>6[ D4:6?E:DED 92G6 FD65 E96 C67=64E:@? @7 =:89E E@ ;F586 4@>A@D:E:@?]k^Am

kAm“(6’C6 =@@<:?8 E@ F?56CDE2?5 H92E 😀 E96 :?E6C?2= DECF4EFC6[ 2?5 DA64:7:42==J[ H92E 😀 E96 :?E6C?2= DECF4EFC6[ 2?5 H92E 2C6 E96 492?86D 92AA6?:?8 2D :E A2DD6D E9C@F89 t2CE9’D 8C2G:EJ 7:6=5[” ~CDF=2< D2:5]k^Am

kAm(:E9:? E96 ?6IE 564256[ E96 4@>A2?J 9@A6D E@ 56G6=@A DA2464C27E E@ 42AEFC6 2?5 C6EC:6G6 2DE6C@:5D E92E 42? 36 DEF5:65 @C AC@DA64E65 7@C C2C6 62CE9 >2E6C:2=D[ H9:49 2C6 G:E2= E@ >65:42= 56G:46D[ 92?5\96=5 6=64EC@?:4D 2?5 4@>AFE6CD]k^Am

kAm%96 >@56=D[ E96J D2J[ H@F=5 36 DE2?52C5:K65[ 3F:=E FD:?8 b\s AC:?E6CD H:E9:? 2 >2EE6C @7 >@?E9D 2?5 D42=65 FA E@ `_ E:>6D 2D =2C86]k^Am

kAm&?=:<6 4@>6ED[ 2DE6C@:5D 2C6 :46=6DD[ C@4 E96 4C62E:@? @7 E96 D@=2C DJDE6>] |@DE 2C6 D@\42==65 >2:?\36=E 2DE6C@:5D[ >@G:?8 😕 ?62C=J 4:C4F=2C @C3:ED 36EH66? E9@D6 2C@F?5 |2CD 2?5 yFA:E6C] qFE E96C6 2C6 2=D@ 2DE6C@:5D H9@D6 @C3:ED 3C:?8 E96> 4=@D6 E@ t2CE9] xE 😀 E96D6 — 23@FE c`[___ D@ 72C @H? — E92E >@DE :?EC:8F6 ~CDF=2<]k^Am

kAm(9:=6 pA@A9:D 😀 6IA64E65 E@ 36 >256 @7 D@>6 ?:4<6= 2?5 C@4<[ @E96C ?62C\t2CE9 2DE6C@:5D 2C6 A@E6?E:2==J A24<65 H:E9 G2=F23=6 >:?6C2=D =:<6 4@32=E[ 82==:F>[ A=2E:?F> 2?5 49C@>:F>]k^Am

kAmxE’D 2? :?5FDECJ E92E 4@F=5 @?6 52J E@E2= 3:==:@?D @7 5@==2CD[ 2?5 AFE 2? 6?5 E@ >:?:?8 @? t2CE9[ ~CDF=2< E9:?2?2865 4@>A2?:6D 4@F=5 D4@FC DA246 2D E96 7:CDE C62= 6I2>A=6 @7 9F>2? 6IA=@C2E:@? :?E@ E96 D@=2C DJDE6>[ 2?5 E@H E96:C 3@F?E:6D 324< E@ E96 >@@?’D @C3:E]k^Am

kAmpDE6C@:5D H@F=5 36 >:?65 😕 E96 >@@?’D @C3:E 2D A2CE @7 2 D4:6?E:7:4 2?5 4@>>6C4:2= A2C<[ 3J DA2464C27E E92E 2C6 >62?E E@ DE2J 😕 DA246 7@C 2== @7 E96:C ?665D[ 7C@> C67F6=:?8 E@ 82E96C:?8 H2E6C]k^Am

kAm“xE’D E96 368:??:?8 @7 2 C6G6CD2= @7 t2CE9’D DFAA=J 492:?[” ~CDF=2< D2:5] “%96C6’D ?@ C62D@? E@ >:?6 t2CE9 H96? J@F 92G6 2446DD E@ ECF=J :?7:?:E6 C6D@FC46D 😕 DA246]”k^Am

kAmxE’D 2? :562 E92E[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]8F2C5:2?]4@]F<^D4:6?46^24C@DD\E96\F?:G6CD6^a_`b^;2?^ab^2DE6C@:5\>:?:?8\566A\DA246\:?5FDEC:6DQmD:?46 E96 62C=J `hf_Dk^2m[ 92D 42AEFC65 E96 :>28:?2E:@? @7 D4:6?E:DED[ 6?8:?66CD[ A@=:E:4:2?D 2?5 HC:E6CD[ E@FE65 2D E96 2?DH6C E@ E96 H@C=5’D :?4C62D:?8 9F?86C 7@C 5:>:?:D9:?8 C6D@FC46D]k^Am

kAmxE’D 2=D@ 2 A6CD@?2= >:DD:@? 7@C ~CDF=2<[ H9@ 3682? 9:D 42C66C H:E9 !=2?6E2CJ #6D@FC46D[ 2 D:>:=2C 3FE D9@CE\=:G65 G6?EFC6 😕 E96 62C=J a___D E92E 5C6H 2? p\=:DE @7 :?G6DE@CD 2?5 25G:D@CD[ :?4=F5:?8 v@@8=6 r9:67 tI64FE:G6 {2CCJ !286 2?5 r92:C>2? tC:4 $49>:5E[ “pG2E2C” 5:C64E@C y2>6D r2>6C@? 2?5 |:4C@D@7E’D 7@C>6C 49:67 D@7EH2C6 2C49:E64E r92C=6D $:>@?J:]k^Am

kAm“%96J DF4466565 😕 6DE23=:D9:?8 E96 =682= 7C2>6H@C< E@ H@C< @? 2DE6C@:5 C6D@FC46D[ WDF49 2DX 9@H 5@ J@F @H? C6D@FC46D 42AEFC65 7C@> 2? 2DE6C@:5 F?56C &$ =2H[” ~CDF=2< D2:5]k^Am

kAm%96C6 😀 2=D@ E96 >2EE6C @7 5676?D6 282:?DE 2DE6C@:5D] ~CDF=2< 😀 2>@?8 E96 D4:6?E:DED H9@ 36=:6G6 E92E :E H2D 2 =2C86 2DE6C@:5[ A6C92AD D:I >:=6D 😕 5:2>6E6C[ E92E 5:5 😕 E96 5:?@D2FCD H96? :E DECF4< E96 *F42E2? !6?:?DF=2 ed >:==:@? J62CD 28@[ A=F?8:?8 t2CE9 :?E@ 4@=5 2?5 52C6DD]k^Am

kAmw6’D ?@E E@@ <66? @? =6EE:?8 E92E >@>6?E C6A62E :ED6=7]k^Am

kAm“(96? J@F 92G6 2? 2DE6C@:5 E92E’D E9C62E6?:?8 E96 A=2?6E[ 9@H 5@ J@F >@G6 :En w@H 5@ J@F C65:C64E :En” ~CDF=2< 2D<65]k^Am

kAm“wF>2?:EJ 92D E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ DE2CE E@ 5@ <:?5 @7 3:886C[ 92C56C E9:?8D 😕 DA246]”k^Am

k9C ^m

kAm%9:D DE@CJ H2D @C:8:?2==J AF3=:D965 3J E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^=3A@DE]4@>^Qm{@?8 q6249 !@DEk^2m 2?5 5:DEC:3FE65 E9C@F89 2 A2CE?6CD9:A H:E9 %96 pDD@4:2E65 !C6DD]k^Am

For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Long Beach Post.