ConsenSys, which is a blockchain technology company, announced that they have acquired Planetary Resources, which is a U.S.-based company that plans to mine asteroids. The acquisition was made through an asset purchase. Formed in 2009 as Arkyd Astronautics, Planetary Resources hopes to explore, extract and refine mineral resources from asteroids. It has been reported that the company has more than 30 investors, who have given the company in excess of $50 million. In just the last 6 months, the company has launched two satellites into outer space. Joe Lubin, who is the founder of ConsenSys, issued a statement regarding the acquisition in which he said that it reflects the company's belief in what he called "democratizing and decentralizing space endeavors" to help unify mankind while unlocking previously untapped human potential. The company further said that the acquisition adds space capabilities into the company's ecosystem. As part of the deal, Chris Lewicki — who is the President and CEO of Planetary Resources — and the company's counsel Brian Israel both joined ConsenSys. ConsenSys will also run its space-related operations out of Planetary Resources's facilities in Redmond, Washington. Lewicki previously worked for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. There he served as the Flight Director for both the Spirit and Opportunity Mars rovers as well as for the Phoenix Mars lander. Israel previously worked for the U.S. State Department’s Office of the Legal Adviser. His responsibilities included international legal ramifications of various matters relating to outer space, oceans and the environment. Isreal has called Ethereum smart contracts a terrific solution for facilitating commerce in outer space, where the transactions of a wide range of people from many countries must be coordinated. This past summer, ConsenSys made news when it signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of China's Xiong'an New Area. The agreement relates the adoption of blockchain technology in what the parties have termed a "smart city." They hope to make this city a leading hub of blockchain technology. Toward this end, ConsenSys will advise the government on various blockchain solutions as well as on other software.