Phase 0 of every asteroid mining operation — autonomous reconnaissance before any physical contact with the target body.
Provide high-resolution data on both mineral resources and long-term habitability / hollow-base potential so ASI and operators can select asteroids that are not only economically viable but can become permanent, self-sustaining bases of operations.
Probes operate in parallel with orbital shipyard construction. Only asteroids that score highly on both resource value and habitability/hollow-base potential are selected for full mining fleet deployment.
Requirement: Every asteroid mining campaign shall begin with a dedicated Phase 0 autonomous reconnaissance phase using mineral-profiling probes before any physical contact or extraction activity is authorised.
Rationale: Eliminates risk and ensures only high-value, structurally suitable asteroids are selected for full operations, preserving multi-century economic and safety margins.
Open Questions: None at v0.7
Requirement: All mineral-profiling probes shall perform simultaneous high-resolution resource mapping and habitability/hollow-base compatibility assessment (structural integrity, volatiles, radiation shielding potential).
Rationale: Enables selection of asteroids that are not only economically viable but can become permanent self-sustaining bases without additional scouting missions.
Requirement: Probes shall deliver quantitative 3D maps of mineral composition, volatile content, and economic value using hyperspectral imaging, neutron/gamma spectroscopy, and core sampling.
Rationale: Provides the data foundation for precise resource valuation and ISRU planning.
Requirement: Probes shall assess asteroid internal structure, stress distribution, and suitability for large-scale hollowing using seismic, radar, and gravimetric methods.
Rationale: Identifies asteroids that can safely become permanent habitats rather than one-time mining targets.
Requirement: Probes shall operate as a coordinated swarm with real-time data relay to the nearest IPLS command node or orbital manufacturing platform via PIS-v1.
Rationale: Maximises coverage speed and provides continuous operator visibility during reconnaissance.
Requirement: No physical mining or extraction activity shall be authorised until the full Phase 0 dataset has been reviewed and explicitly approved by the operator through the command layer.
Rationale: Preserves absolute human/post-biological command authority at the critical transition from reconnaissance to operations.
Requirement: Every probe shall incorporate a dedicated self-diagnostic bus with real-time health monitoring and predictive maintenance alerts relayed to the central command layer.
Rationale: Ensures maximum reliability during long-duration reconnaissance phases far from support infrastructure.
Requirement: Probes shall be designed for a minimum 50-year operational life with graceful degradation, field-repairable components via ISRU spares, and TSP-v1 supersession readiness.
Rationale: Supports extended reconnaissance campaigns or reactivation of dormant probes decades later.
Requirement: All probe telemetry, mapping data, and command channels shall use quantum-secure encryption with full operator-controlled authentication and manual veto capability via the command layer.
Rationale: Protects strategic reconnaissance data and preserves absolute human/post-biological command authority during the critical pre-mining phase.
Requirement: Probes shall enter a low-power standby mode after reconnaissance with self-diagnostic loops and TSP-v1 reactivation pathways, allowing future recall or reuse decades later using only local ISRU spares.
Rationale: Maximises long-term asset value and supports multi-century exploration campaigns without discarding hardware.