AMi CARGO
The asteroid mining spacecraft
The AMi Cargo is a 20 metric ton, to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) vehicle that will be used for both reconnaissance missions and for actual asteroid-mining operations.
The spacecraft configuration aims for a minimum number of components, to ensure high reliability.
In front of the spacecraft lies the Recoverable Capsule, fitted with four propellant tanks and four maneuver engines, followed by the main propellant tank and the main engine. Eight solar panels are placed on the vehicle to provide the needed power for the electric-arc propulsion main engine.
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Depending on the target, the AMi Cargo travels from around 100 days, in the case of Near-Earth Objects (NEO) to up to a year in the case of asteroid belt objects.
The Recoverable Capsule has a diameter of 7.2 m and an empty weight of 1000 kg. Around the capsule there are 10 hydraulic arms that allow the capsule to attach itself to the asteroid, and to deploy an envelope.
The AMi Cargo capsule design exploits ArcaSpace's experience with the contract for the Mars Sample Return capsules test for the European Space Agency.
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Capsule return capacity: 2500 kg
The vehicle has a return to capability of up to 2,500 kg of precious metals, water, or other elements from the asteroids.
The target for the first flight is to collect 1-2.5 tons of platinum.
Right photo: the AMi cargo V3 capsule during Mission 12 flight test.
Parachute-less reentry capsule
The capsule uses a parachute-less design, employing a crash landing sequence. This allows a simplified and cost-effective design. the solution was tested by ArcaSpace during Mission 12 when an AMi Cargo 1:6 capsule was crash landed at terminal velocity with very good results allowing the engineering team to retain the parachute-less design.
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The LiPo batteries pack storing 5 MW of electric power is placed inside the Recoverable Capsule. The weight of the batteries is 257 kg. The batteries provide power for mining operations, as well as for the service module main engine.
The service module also has a LAS technology, water-based, electric-powered engine. The water is stored in a 100 litre tank. When heated at 200oC, it allows the engine to run for around 58 seconds of Isp. The engine will be used for manoeuvring between the AMi Cargo and the asteroid, as well as for trajectory corrections when the capsule returns to Earth.
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60 kW of electrical power
There are 400 m2 of solar panels generating 60 kW, distributed on eight surfaces that are articulated on an axis with the ship’s body. The electricity is used to power the Spacecraft’s arc-electric propulsion technology.​The main propellant tank will house 17,000 litres of water used as propellant that will allow the main engine to run for 51 days 19 hours.
The propellant tank
The propellant tank is built with epoxy resin and fibre-glass composites. ArcaSpace builds this highly demanding tank that is designed to operate in outer space for long periods while holding 17,000 liters of propellant onboard.
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The capsule also houses three spherical helium tanks for its RCS.
Starting from the LAS technology used by ArcaSpace for EcoRocket Heavy’s first stages, the AMi Cargo’s Main Engine (ACME) uses water and electricity. While the LAS engine keeps the water under pressure at relatively high temperature, the ACME keeps the water at low pressure and uses an electric pump to feed the chamber. This is possible because the engine mass flow is only 3.78 grams of water/sec and the engine works at a relatively low pressure of 6 bar.
The vehicle’s solar panels generate 60 kW of electricity. This power is routed to the engine and is used to heat the 3.78 grams of water/sec water to 4,500oC for a specific impulse of 450 s.
Once in LEO, the AMi Cargo uses water-based, electric arc propulsion to fly to the targeted asteroid and start mining operations. ​​​
Technical characteristics
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