Cost of unmanned vs manned asteroid mining

[YertyL]

A micro-G-habitat can run 2 mines, so I will compare it to running 2 auto-extractors full-time. For optimal use of water you run the electrolyzer (and mines) only during the day and use a tank at night, so you need (at least) 12+5 power during the night and 12 + 5 + 10 + 5 = 32 power during the day, so 9 large solar panels + 1 power accumulator.

1. Automated mining: 2* (Auto-Extractor + 3 large solar panels + power accumulator) = 2* (10 polymers,4 machine parts + 9 metal + 2 polymers,2 concrete)=
   
   24 polymers, 8 machine parts, 18 metal, 4 concrete
   
   
2. Asteroid mining with colonists: Habitat + Water extractor + electrolyzer + oxygen tank + 2 mining stations + 9 large solar panels + power accumulator = 10 metal,10 poly,2 electronics + 8 poly, 2 MP + 4 metal + 3 metal + 30 poly, 16 MP + 27 metal + 2poly, 2 concrete=
   
   50 polymers, 18 machine parts, 2 electronics, 44 metal, 2 concrete

This is without maintenance or cable/pipe connections. We can see that the cost of sending colonists to asteroids is more than double the cost of mining without colonists, in addition to a very expensive tech and the risk of losing the colonists -- with very little benefit. The 5 production of an auto-mine can mine a 30-35 deposit in 6-7 days, which is quite doable even before the extended time tech and fuel/power upgrades. On the other hand, water is usually so limited that anything more than 2 depots is hard to pull off with colonists. You also have to ask yourself if you want to spend ~ 60 mostly advanced resources (after salvaging) to get ~ 60 raw material back.

I assume I am not the only who has seen the Expanse, and finds the idea of manned asteroid mining really cool -- but it is currently extremely hard to justify in-game.

Suggestion: Significantly lower cost of habitat, water extractor and mining station; significantly increase asteroid depot size (at least double); lower habitat upkeep to micro dome upkeep (0.5 w,0.5 o, 5 power); consider making electrolyzer internal to habitat, i.e. upkeep 1 water 10 power; make colonists able to walk 10 meters to a habitat without dying.

 

[Fiatlux]

Hmmm , maybe the solution would be to make asteroids of different sizes and different amount of metals to get.
So that sometimes (or most often) for smaller asteroids it would be best to send only automated mining , but then once in a while , or on that rare occasion you get a really big sucker of an asteroid very rich on minerals so you then are going to have to send colonists if you want to get it all and fully exploit the opportunity within the window of opportunity ?

 

[YertyL]

Hmmm , maybe the solution would be to make asteroids of different sizes and different amount of metals to get.
So that sometimes (or most often) for smaller asteroids it would be best to send only automated mining , but then once in a while , or on that rare occasion you get a really big sucker of an asteroid very rich on minerals so you then are going to have to send colonists if you want to get it all and fully exploit the opportunity within the window of opportunity ?

I would prefer it if manned mining was a clear upgrade for all asteroids -- otherwise, researching the tech hardly seems worth it. With (effectively) unlimited depots, manned mining would haul in 2-3 times the resources unmanned mining does, which seems appropriate given it's a pretty late tech and requires a lot more investment.

 

[Fiatlux]

I would prefer it if manned mining was a clear upgrade for all asteroids -- otherwise, researching the tech hardly seems worth it.

I respectfully disagree , I think that research cost is something that you have to have if you want the option to send colonists when it pays to do so, and yes , then two to three times more minerals from using colonists when it pays off to do so seem fair. But still , -I think that the idea that you for smaller asteroids just sends unmanned robotic outfits sounds as a good idea and then save the effort of colonists for the bigger asteroids. After all colonists should neither have to bother nor have the inconvenience for only a minor outcome ;-)