Global M-Type Metallic Asteroids Mining Market to Reach USD 1.5 Billion by 2031 at 30.3% CAGR, Led by ConsenSys and Bradford Space

According to the recent report by QYResearch, the global market for M-Type Metallic Asteroids Mining is accelerating in 2025, with a confirmed trajectory toward a USD 1.5 billion valuation by 2031, marking one of the most dynamic compound annual growth rates (CAGR) in the space resources industry at 30.3%. This growth is driven by a confluence of technological advancements, increased investment, and a growing demand for critical and rare metals essential for space-based manufacturing, energy systems, and interplanetary infrastructure.

Leading Companies
ConsenSys
Bradford Space
Moon Express
Ispace
Asteroid Mining Corporation
Trans Astronautica Corporation
OffWorld
SpaceFab
Boeing
Northrop Grumman Corporation

Product profiles for five leading companies:
ConsenSys (via Planetary Resources)
• Product: Arkyd Series - Asteroid Prospecting Satellites
• Function: Detect high value M-type asteroids using visible and infrared spectroscopy.
• Key Model: Arkyd 6
• Dimensions: 6U CubeSat (~10 x 20 x 30 cm)
• Payload: Mid-wave infrared (MWIR) sensor for detecting metal-rich surface compositions
• Mission Goals: Identify mining targets containing nickel, iron, and PGMs
• Status: Tested in low Earth orbit; future missions planned for deep-space deployment

Bradford Space (formerly Deep Space Industries)
• Product: Comet Electrothermal Propulsion System
• Propellant: Deionized water (non-toxic, in-situ resource compatible)
• Thrust: Up to 20 mN per thruster
• Specific Impulse (Isp): ~180 seconds
• Power Consumption: 30-50 W per thruster
• Use Case: Precise ΔV maneuvers for asteroid rendezvous and resource return
• Flight Heritage: Deployed on smallsats; designed for scalability in asteroid missions

Moon Express
• Product: MX-9 Robotic Lander
• Payload Capacity: Up to 500 kg
• Range: Delivers from Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) to lunar or asteroid surfaces
• Power: Solar + battery hybrid
• Mission Duration: Designed for multi-week operation
• Key Feature: Sample return and surface interaction capability
• Application: Regolith sampling and early-stage asteroid mining demonstrations

ispace Inc.
• Product: HAKUTO-R Series Lunar Lander and Rover
• Rover Name: Tenacious
• Mobility: Four-wheeled electric rover
• Payload: Scientific instruments and imaging systems
• Lander Payload Capacity: Up to 30 kg
• Power: Solar panels and battery
• Key Mission Goal: Test terrain mobility and sampling on Moon-analogous to asteroid surface operations

Asteroid Mining Corporation (AMC)
• Product: SCAR-E (Space Capable Asteroid Robotic Explorer)
• Design: Hexapod robotic system
• Mobility: Six articulated legs for 3D surface traversal
• Payload Capacity: Up to 10 kg onboard instruments
• Material Targets: Nickel, cobalt, iron-rich asteroid surfaces
• Use Case: Autonomous prospecting in microgravity environments
• Operational Status: In development phase; integration with lunar lander mission planned

Application Segments
Fuel
Construction
3D Printer
Others

Market Classifications (by Type)
Nickel
Iron
Others

Market Trend Highlights (2025)
AstroForge, a prominent name in asteroid mining, confirmed the successful deployment of its Mission 2 spacecraft in February 2025, targeting the near-Earth asteroid 2022 OB5. The mission focuses on surface mapping and material analysis, setting the foundation for future commercial extraction. Analysts believe the mission will serve as a turning point for industrial viability, especially for smaller, highly metallic M-type asteroids.

Meanwhile, Karman+, a European startup, secured USD 20 million in seed funding in early 2025 to accelerate its development of autonomous robotic miners and AI-driven asteroid scanning systems. The investment, led by Plural and Hummingbird Ventures, signifies heightened investor confidence in near-term commercial viability of off-Earth mining.

Simultaneously, major aerospace companies including Northrop Grumman and Boeing have expanded their space exploration units with a focus on in-situ resource utilization (ISRU), incorporating M-type asteroid material extraction into broader lunar and Mars colonization strategies.
Key Materials & Use Cases

M-type asteroids, known for their high content of iron, nickel, and cobalt, are critical to space construction. Extracted materials are used to build space factories, habitats, and to produce rocket fuel, particularly hydrogen and methane, necessary for deep-space missions. The presence of rare earth elements like thulium, holmium, and scandium also opens opportunities for solar power applications in space, fueling satellites and space stations.

Precious metals such as platinum and gold are increasingly attractive for their use in electronics and as strategic reserves for Earth-based economies.

The 2025 report outlines that the Fuel segment remains the dominant downstream application in 2024 and is forecast to surge significantly by 2031. This trend aligns with global space agencies' transition to sustainable interplanetary logistics, where refueling spacecraft at asteroid-based depots may soon be a reality.

Regional Growth Outlook (2025)
• North America maintains its leadership position due to NASA and SpaceX-backed initiatives, with the U.S. government increasing support for private asteroid mining ventures.
• Asia-Pacific, led by China, Japan, and South Korea, is rapidly expanding. China's 2025 National Space Resources Strategy identified asteroid mining as a strategic technology and has launched feasibility missions targeting high-metallic asteroids in the belt.
• Europe is gaining momentum through public-private partnerships and innovations from companies like Ispace and Moon Express, both aiming to integrate asteroid-derived materials into Earth-based manufacturing supply chains.

Competitive Landscape and Strategy
According to the report, top five companies in the M-Type Metallic Asteroids Mining sector capture a significant portion of global revenue, with ConsenSys leading the pack. Companies are increasingly forming cross-border R&D alliances, securing launch partnerships, and investing in AI-driven reconnaissance systems to gain early-mover advantages in unexplored asteroid zones.

The most profitable segments, as outlined in Chapter 4 and Chapter 5 of the report, revolve around fuel extraction and 3D printing-grade metal powders, with the latter enabling on-site manufacturing of tools and structures in orbit.

The report also identifies construction applications as an emerging area-especially relevant for building orbital stations and deep-space habitats, where weight and resource transport limitations from Earth necessitate the use of asteroid-derived raw materials.

Strategic Implications for Stakeholders
For investors, the report recommends targeting Asia-Pacific and North America, where funding and mission activity are most concentrated. CEOs and technology developers are advised to align with high-CAGR segments like fuel and 3D printer-grade metals, which show faster commercialization timelines.

Furthermore, with Chapter 12 mapping cost drivers and distribution dynamics, players can better negotiate supply contracts and identify untapped market gaps, especially in downstream manufacturing and in-orbit logistics.

The momentum observed in 2025 reveals a clear shift: asteroid mining is no longer a speculative concept-it is rapidly becoming a commercial reality, with M-type metallic asteroids at the center of this trillion-dollar transformation.

Downstream customers
• Hawkeye 360
• LeoStella
• Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
• Japan Airlines (JAL)
• Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
• E2IN2 S.A.
• Tohoku University Space Robotics Laboratory
• Firefly Aerospace
• Honeybee Robotics
• NASA (via CLPS contracts)
• Drape-r Labs
• General Atomics
• Systima Technologies

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Website: www.qyresearch.com

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This release was published on openPR.