Space study says robots will mine asteroids and goods will be ‘Made In Space’ within 50 yearsThe report predicts a new era of space exploration as well as revolutions in how we use the solar

system with ‘Made In Space’ being a badge of honourCommentsNewsEmily Hall15:58, 04 Jun 2025Updated 15:58, 04 Jun 2025Will robots mine in space? Well, maybe(Image: ETH Zurich / Takahiro Miki

/ SWN SWNS) Britain faces being left behind in the space race, experts fear. Humanity must prepare for an outer-space revolution with moon bases, space stations and even orbiting factories.

Clean energy will be beamed to Earth, robots will mine asteroids and goods will be ‘Made In Space.’ But we lack a clear space plan which is putting us among countries at risk of missing out

‌ “We’re not trying to predict the future, but these are the sorts of things that could happen,” said Sir Martin Sweeting, report co-chair and professor of space engineering at the

University of Surrey. “And if we think about them sooner rather than later, we’ll be better off.”

Moon will see us fight for the right to mine(Image: NASA) The report predicts a new era of space exploration as well as revolutions in how we use the solar system.

Article continues below The authors say the next few decades will be as far-reaching as the Industrial Revolution was in the 18th century.

Advances in reusable rockets and space planes will allow people to work in space factories, while new lighter, smaller spacecraft could be launched that would not be possible from Earth.

Interplanetary space stations could be scattered across the solar system, power-hungry data farms will set up in orbit and more could be done to gather and recycle old satellites.

‌A bird's eye view of a possible mining settlement on the double asteroid 90 Antiope(Image: Getty Images/Stocktrek Images) The UK is strong on a few technologies, like small satellites, but

it needs a “clear national ambition” to keep up with the pace of change, the report added.

“The UK government, the international community, and society at large need to comprehend, anticipate and be prepared,” it added.

‌ But scientists must also think about ethical concerns - for example bringing microbes from Earth and allowing them to populate other planets.

And they also warned that as space becomes more congested, conflict could break out over who owns prime planetary spots.

To add to all that, boffins believe they will probably know this side of 50 years whether aliens exist.

Article continues below Sir Sweeting added: “I would hope that would bring nations together and say: let’s forget about our petty arguments and think about the bigger issues, but that may be

wishful thinking.”