Asteroid Miners: Difference between revisions

Line 2:

Spectrographic analysis of the asteroids in Earth's solar system show that there's tons of mineral wealth just floating out there waiting for some daring [[Prospector]] with a rocket, a spacesuit, and a drill to go get it. Creators of Science Fiction thus came up with the image of the Belters (also known as Rock Rats, Rockskippers, and so on) as rugged, independent types who prefer the freedom of a one-man spaceship and a life of hard work to living under someone else's rules.

It should also be noted that asteroid mining is one of the things that make [[Alien Invasion~~|Alien Invasions~~]] somewhat inefficient. It's much easier to pull materials and resources from a low-gravity asteroid than the huge gravity well of a planet. Not to mention not having to deal with the indigenous population.

It should also be noted that asteroid mining is one of the things that make [[Alien Invasion]]s somewhat inefficient. It's much easier to pull materials and resources from a low-gravity asteroid than the huge gravity well of a planet. Not to mention not having to deal with the indigenous population.

Stories that feature [[Recycled in Space|miners IN SPACE!]] draw [[Space Western|a lot of inspiration from]] (and sometimes directly steal from) stories regarding the various gold and silver rushes of the 1800s.

Line 62:

* Milo Clancey from the ''[[Doctor Who]]'' serial "The Space Pirates" is an asteroid miner.

* ''[[Lexx]]'''s backstory combines this with [[Dug Too Deep]].

* Montgomery Scott mentions "working the cargo runs, bringing in supplies and taking out cargo" for [[Asteroid Miners]] in the ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]'' episode "Operation: Annihilate".

* Montgomery Scott mentions "working the cargo runs, bringing in supplies and taking out cargo" for Asteroid Miners in the ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]'' episode "Operation: Annihilate".

Line 79:

== Tabletop Games ==

* In ''[[Warhammer 40000]]'', the alien race called the Demiurg mostly live in massive ''Stronghold''-class cityships, and tend to survive by asteroid mining. Quite fitting, as they are basically [[Our Dwarves Are All the Same|Dwarfs]] [[Recycled in Space|IN SPACE!]]

** Ironically, they are replacements for the last Dwarves In Space, which were [[~~Retcon|retconned~~]] and became the [[Unperson|unmentionables]].

** Ironically, they are replacements for the last Dwarves In Space, which were [[retcon]]ned and became the [[Unperson|unmentionables]].

* The ''[[Star*Drive]]'' fluff mentions asteroid mining as a common (though dangerous) source of income, especially in frontier regions.

* One of the career options in the sci-fi [[Role Playing Game|RPG]] ''Traveller'' is "Belter", their name for asteroid miner.

Line 97:

* A viable, but boring career path in ''[[EVE Online]]''.

** At least until one of the [[Space Pirates]] shows up to ruin your day.

* ''[[Lego Rock Raiders]]'', and the sets it's based on, features a team of miners who are on their way home from another planet when their ship gets hit by an asteroid [[It Got Worse|and]] ''sucked into a wormhole to another galaxy''. They then have to mine a nearby [[Death World]] for Energy Crystals to power their ship and get home. It's essentially a fun [[Troperiffic]] take on the whole [[Asteroid Miners]] concept, with some [[Space Western]] elements thrown in.

* ''[[Lego Rock Raiders]]'', and the sets it's based on, features a team of miners who are on their way home from another planet when their ship gets hit by an asteroid [[It Got Worse|and]] ''sucked into a wormhole to another galaxy''. They then have to mine a nearby [[Death World]] for Energy Crystals to power their ship and get home. It's essentially a fun [[Troperiffic]] take on the whole Asteroid Miners concept, with some [[Space Western]] elements thrown in.

* Also featured in ''[[Freelancer]]'', where it's not quite so boring.

* ''[[Homeworld]]'' had you doing this as well.

Line 107:

* Mentioned in the Codex of ''[[Mass Effect]]''.

** In [[Mass Effect 1]], almost '''every single''' star system containing an asteroid belt, has at least one asteroid that you can scan, for easy money and XP. Just put the redicle over it, and press one button...

** [[Wretched Hive|Omega ]] from [[Mass Effect 2]] is an entire city built within the hollowed out remains of a mined-out asteroid.

** [[Wretched Hive|Omega]] from [[Mass Effect 2]] is an entire city built within the hollowed out remains of a mined-out asteroid.

* In ''[[Escape Velocity]] Nova'', you could mine asteroids for water, metal and opals.

* [[Asteroid Miners]] in the ''[[Space Empires]]'' games take the form of automated robots.

* Asteroid Miners in the ''[[Space Empires]]'' games take the form of automated robots.

* Oovo IV in ''[[Star Wars]]: Episode 1 Racer'' is a [[Penal Colony|penal]] asteroid mining colony.

* In peculiar example, the Planetoids map generator for Minecraft creates asteroid-like floating masses which many people usually mine hollow and string minecart tracks between.