Delta V isn't the only metric. Trip times and frequency of launch windows are also a consideration. The moon has 3 days trip times and from a given low earth orbit, launch windows are every two weeks.

The Planetary Resources people are correctly calling *water* the most valuable space resource. Propellant high on the slopes of earth's gravity well would revolutionize space transportation. And less expensive space transportation is a prerequisite for mining asteroidal metals.

And there is thought to be large deposits of water ice at the lunar poles.

Another advantage the moon has is 3 second light lag. Most of the time a typical NEA will have a light lag of tens of minutes. Luna's closeness makes high bandwidth doable, LRO achieved 100 megabytes per second. These are important advantages if the mining is done by telerobots.

I am hoping the volatiles in the lunar cold traps will eventually ping on Planetary Resources' radar.

They're not talking about a Chixculub sized asteroid, nor a Tunguska sized asteroid. 7 meter asteroids hit Earth every year and burn up in the upper atmosphere.

Yes,

Propellant high on the slopes of earth's gravity well would revolutionize space transportation. That is why Planetary Resources is calling water the most valuable space resource. Not iron, nickel, gold or platinum group metals. But water.

Delta V from low earth orbit to Ceres is about 10 km/s. So, unlike Near Earth Asteroids, Ceres has no delta V advantage over the moon. As you've already mentioned, there seem to be substantial ice deposits at the lunar poles.

Yes,

Propellant high on the slopes of earth's gravity well would revolutionize space transportation. That is why Planetary Resources is calling water the most valuable space resource. Not iron, nickel, gold or platinum group metals. But water. You seem to be one of the few people on this forum who understands this.

Delta V from low earth orbit to Ceres is about 10 km/s. So, unlike Near Earth Asteroids, Ceres has no delta V advantage over the moon. As you've already mentioned, there seem to be substantial ice deposits at the lunar poles.

Planetary Resources' first goal is water. And the moon has water. http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/Mini-RF/multimedia/feature_ice_like_deposits.html

Delta V isn't the only metric. Trip times and frequency of launch windows are also a consideration. The moon has 3 days trip times and from a given low earth orbit, launch windows are every two weeks. The Planetary Resources people are correctly calling *water* the most valuable space resource. Propellant high on the slopes of earth's gravity well would revolutionize space transportation. And less expensive space transportation is a prerequisite for mining asteroidal metals. And there is thought to be large deposits of water ice at the lunar poles. http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/Mini-RF/multimedia/feature_ice_like_deposits.html Another advantage the moon has is 3 second light lag. It's closeness makes high bandwidth doable, LRO achieved 100 megabytes per second. These are important advantages if the mining is done by telerobots. I am hoping the volatiles in the lunar cold traps will eventually ping on Planetary Resources' radar.

They're not talking about a Chixculub sized asteroid. Nor even a tunguska sized object. 7 meter rocks hit the earth every year and burn up in the upper atmosphere.