Asteroid mining launch windows — November 2026
Updated 2026-11-10 12:15 UTC · same data and maths as the map · exact trajectories for 5,153 candidates
Mythic 10 · Legendary 248 · Epic 1,034 · Rare 3,361 · Uncommon 9,824 · Common 37,230
At current metal prices and default mission costs, 16 of 51,707 tracked asteroids would turn a profit. The best target is 2017 BW at an expected $29.0M per mission, with its cheapest launch window on 2035-08-18.
Open the live map →Top 10 targets right now
Default mission: launch from low Earth orbit at $500/kg, 9-month stay, 400 t cargo back. Launch dates are exact trajectories over the next 10 years. Key assumption: water-rich asteroids earn mostly from water, valued at $1,000/kg as rocket propellant delivered in Earth orbit — no such market exists yet. Change the assumptions on the map.
| # | Object | Tier | Profit / mission | Δv round trip | Best launch | vs last week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2017 BW C-type · 108 m · Measured · radar |
Mythic | $29.0M | 6.28 km/s | 2035-08-18 | new |
| 2 | 350751 (2002 AW) C-type · 375 m · Measured · radar |
Mythic | $27.8M | 7.47 km/s | 2032-02-05 | new |
| 3 | 101955 Bennu (1999 RQ36) C-type · 484 m · Confirmed · radar |
Mythic | $26.1M | 9.33 km/s | 2029-03-22 | new |
| 4 | 162173 Ryugu (1999 JU3) C-type · 896 m · Confirmed · radar |
Mythic | $25.6M | 6.74 km/s | 2030-12-09 | new |
| 5 | 2013 XV8 C-type · 226 m · Measured |
Mythic | $24.7M | 6.94 km/s | 2036-01-24 | new |
| 6 | 448721 (2011 BN24) C-type · 342 m · Measured |
Mythic | $17.5M | 8.35 km/s | 2036-06-22 | new |
| 7 | 2004 VJ1 C-type · 82 m · Measured |
Mythic | $15.0M | 6.73 km/s | 2036-05-12 | new |
| 8 | 341843 (2008 EV5) C-type · 400 m · Measured · radar |
Mythic | $9.1M | 7.22 km/s | 2036-06-26 | new |
| 9 | 68278 (2001 FC7) C-type · 942 m · Measured |
Mythic | $9.0M | 9.11 km/s | 2029-09-21 | new |
| 10 | 440212 (2004 OB) C-type · 860 m · Measured |
Mythic | $8.0M | 8.09 km/s | 2028-10-13 | new |
Close approaches, next 60 days
| Date (TDB) | Object | Distance | Speed | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-Nov-10 | 2012 YD7 | 18.5 LD | 7.5 km/s | Common |
| 2026-Nov-12 | 2026 VY7 | 11.7 LD | 20.0 km/s | Common |
| 2026-Nov-13 | 2026 VO1 | 9.8 LD | 14.2 km/s | Common |
| 2026-Nov-13 | 2026 VV5 | 15.1 LD | 13.0 km/s | Common |
| 2026-Nov-14 | 2026 VF7 | 9.5 LD | 7.4 km/s | Common |
| 2026-Nov-17 | 2022 VB2 | 7.7 LD | 9.0 km/s | Common |
| 2026-Nov-18 | 2012 VF46 | 16.5 LD | 11.2 km/s | Common |
| 2026-Nov-19 | 2018 NE1 | 16.6 LD | 13.3 km/s | Common |
| 2026-Nov-19 | 2026 TB84 | 12.1 LD | 9.9 km/s | Common |
| 2026-Nov-25 | 2026 VQ5 | 5.2 LD | 11.6 km/s | Common |
| 2026-Dec-08 | 2020 XC3 | 14.5 LD | 14.3 km/s | Common |
| 2026-Dec-08 | 2016 NV | 14.3 LD | 10.4 km/s | Legendary |
| 2026-Dec-14 | 2026 LZ1 | 14.4 LD | 11.2 km/s | Common |
| + 20 smaller objects (under ~25 m, not ranked) | ||||
Metal prices
| Metal | Price | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Platinum | $50,059/kg | – |
| Palladium | $33,919/kg | – |
| Rhodium | $300,609/kg | – |
| Iridium | $326,330/kg | – |
| Ruthenium | $62,694/kg | – |
| Osmium | $12,860/kg | – |
| Gold | $131,143/kg | – |
| Cobalt | $48/kg | – |
| Nickel | $15.68/kg | – |
| Copper | $14.01/kg | – |
| Iron | $0.45/kg | – |
Biggest climbers in the ranking
Tracking started today — weekly movers appear after the first week.
About this report
Orbits, sizes, spectral types, radar measurements and close approaches come from the NASA/JPL Small-Body Database; round-trip trajectories are computed hourly for every mining candidate (NASA NHATS and a Hohmann estimate fill in for the rest). Composition is inferred from asteroid type and meteorite analogues — only a handful of asteroids have been visited. Prices: gold-api.com (Au, Ag, Pt, Pd, Cu, live), Umicore (Rh, Ir, Ru), reference values for the rest. This is an exploration tool, not investment advice.