AstroForge, a U.S. asteroid-mining company, has revealed plans to launch its Odin spacecraft aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in February 2025. The mission aims to scout asteroid 2022 OB5, a near-Earth asteroid measuring up to 328 feet (100 meters) in diameter, which may contain metallic resources.
Odin is expected to reach the asteroid in approximately 300 days, conducting a flyby to collect crucial data regarding the asteroid's characteristics and its potential for mining. This mission serves as a precursor to AstroForge's subsequent venture, Vestri, which will attempt to land on the asteroid and initiate resource extraction.
AstroForge's plans include a rideshare mission for Vestri with Intuitive Machines' IM-3 lunar lander, slated for later in 2025. The company, established in January 2022, aims to provide sustainable mining solutions by extracting resources from asteroids.
AstroForge's first mission, Brokkr-1, successfully reached orbit in April 2023, although the activation of its prototype refinery technology was not achieved. Recently, AstroForge secured a contract with Stoke Space for multiple launches using the upcoming Nova rocket to support its ambitious future mining endeavors.