Chris Porter

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About

Chris Porter is a leading figure in asteroid mission design and in-situ resource utilization, whose work has fundamentally shaped how we approach the robotic capture and return of Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs). His primary research focuses on the technological feasibility of identifying, characterizing, and physically retrieving entire small asteroids for scientific and commercial purposes. Porter’s most influential contribution is his 2011 study, “Asteroid Return Mission Feasibility Study” (39 citations), which laid the groundwork for the concept of returning an NEA to the International Space Station. This work, alongside his companion paper on the same topic (10 citations), systematically evaluated the engineering challenges of robotic capture, orbital mechanics, and the potential for resource extraction. By demonstrating that a small, accessible NEA could be retrieved with existing or near-term technology, Porter directly influenced subsequent NASA mission concepts and private-sector asteroid mining initiatives. His research bridges the gap between theoretical planetary science and practical space operations, offering a roadmap for how humanity might one day harvest asteroid resources. For students and researchers, Porter’s work remains a foundational reference in the fields of asteroid mission architecture and space resource economics.