AstroForge Reveals Asteroid Mining Mission Target & Future Launch Partner

Space mining startup AstroForge has unveiled the target for its second asteroid prospecting mission, while also revealing a strategic partnership with emerging launch provider Stoke Space.

The announcement marks a major step forward in AstroForge’s ambitious plans to revolutionize space mining with cost-effective missions designed to extract valuable resources from near-Earth asteroids.

Odin Heads to Asteroid 2022 OB5

AstroForge announced on Jan. 29 that its Mission 2 spacecraft, named Odin, will travel to the asteroid 2022 OB5—a near-Earth object believed to have promising mining potential.

The mission is scheduled to launch in February as a secondary payload aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket during the Intuitive Machines IM-2 lunar lander mission.

The small asteroid, estimated to be up to 100 meters across, was chosen after a series of proprietary observations. While it is not confirmed to be an M-type metallic asteroid—the ideal target for mining operations—AstroForge remains optimistic.

“We know it’s not an S-type stony asteroid, but whether it’s metallic or not is something we’ll determine during the flyby.” - Matt Gialich, AstroForge CEO

Odin’s spacecraft will arrive at 2022 OB5 approximately 300 days after launch. At that time, the asteroid will be just two million kilometers from Earth, enabling high-bandwidth data transmission for detailed imaging and mineralogical analysis.

Transparency and Collaboration with Scientists

AstroForge’s decision to disclose the mission target reflects a shift in the company’s approach to transparency.

Initially, the company withheld the asteroid’s identity, citing competitive and proprietary concerns. However, that decision drew criticism from segments of the scientific community, including a September statement from the American Astronomical Society urging increased transparency in interplanetary missions.

“There’s been a lot of pushback on what asteroid we’re going to...It wasn’t our intention to frustrate researchers—we actually want to collaborate with them.” - Matt Gialich, AstroForge CEO

By announcing the target now, AstroForge hopes to encourage amateur and professional astronomers to observe and share additional insights on the asteroid’s characteristics ahead of the flyby.

“We’ve obtained some proprietary observations, but more data is always welcome,” - Matt Gialich, AstroForge CEO

Balancing Cost, Risk, and Mission Design

Odin is as much a technology demonstration as it is a prospecting mission.

AstroForge aims to validate its ability to develop, build, and deploy low-cost spacecraft. The company designed and built the spacecraft in-house at a cost of $6.5 million.

“We’ve got a lot of risk to buy down. One of the lowest risks is actually the asteroid itself,...The real test here is whether we can build a spacecraft at this price and make it perform as expected.” - Matt Gialich, AstroForge CEO

Looking ahead, AstroForge has already scheduled its third mission to launch as a rideshare on the IM-3 mission in late 2025 or early 2026. That mission will serve as another stepping stone as the company scales up toward full-scale mining.

Launch Partnership with Stoke Space

To support future missions, AstroForge signed a multi-launch contract with Stoke Space, a startup developing the Nova rocket, a medium-class fully reusable vehicle.

“I’m excited to use them as a provider, and they’re a big part of our plans moving forward.” - Matt Gialich, AstroForge CEO

Nova is expected to offer cost-effective launch services ideal for small to medium spacecraft like Odin. Stoke Space recently closed a $260 million funding round to complete Nova’s development.

While Gialich did not disclose specific contract details, he highlighted that Nova’s size and affordability were key factors in the decision.

“Stoke has a rocket that’s ideal for our missions...Falcon 9 is a great vehicle, but it’s larger than we need. Starship is even bigger and too costly for our scale.” - Matt Gialich, AstroForge CEO

Nova’s reusability is also attractive to AstroForge, aligning with the company’s mission to reduce space exploration costs.

The Road Ahead

AstroForge’s accelerated development timeline for Odin reflects the company’s high-risk, high-reward strategy.

“If you’re not scared when you launch, you’ve probably moved too slowly,...We’re building the technology and taking the risks necessary to make asteroid mining a reality. This mission is just the beginning.” - Matt Gialich, AstroForge CEO

With Odin’s launch imminent and a robust pipeline of missions on the horizon, AstroForge is focused on its long-term goal: mining asteroids to extract precious metals and support a space-based economy. If successful, the company could open a new chapter in commercial space exploration and resource extraction.