Near Earth AI is an early-stage research company. We're developing the concepts and early software for survey-first asteroid prospecting: how to survey, characterize, and rank near-Earth asteroids, then confirm with micro-samples before anything is extracted.
We haven't surveyed or found any asteroids yet. Here is the research we're doing now, and what has to happen before anything is extracted.
We'll share research notes and early test results on our research page as they're ready.
Tens of thousands of near-Earth asteroids are known, yet the two sample-return missions to near-Earth asteroids this decade brought back grams, each after years of flight. Before anyone extracts anything, someone has to work out which asteroids are worth visiting. That is the question our research focuses on.
Our approach
This is the approach we're researching. Our current work explores the first two steps in early software and simulation. We haven't ranked a real target yet: mapping and ranking need data from survey craft that haven't flown.
Analyze telescope and catalog data to shortlist candidate near-Earth asteroids.
Simulate close-range trajectories, coverage, communications, and task allocation across small craft.
Combine lidar, spectral, magnetic, gravity, and visual observations into one resource map.
Compare confidence, accessibility, rare-earth potential, composition, and mission constraints before validation.
Get our research notes, software progress, and lab results by email. A few messages a year, no hype.