How to get rich in outer space: a visual guide

Recent developments show that becoming rich by profiting from the minerals that asteroids, stars and unknown planets have to offer it is closer than ever.

Billionaire-backed Planetary Resources, the asteroid mining company launched in April, announced last week it would hitch a ride with space tourism company Virgin Galactic.

By 2020, the company – based in Bellevue, Washington – plans to spend between $25 and $30 million in a small flock of spacecraft. They will be used to conduct a more detailed exploration, which will help map out valuable asteroids as well as identify rich resource veins.

Before it is too late, Audrey Porterman created this infographic explaining how we can profit in the new Space Age: