[Illustration: Relationship between (A) the trajectory of a falling meteorite, and (B) the re-entry stage of a V-2 rocket. The solid lines indicate the similar portions of the two trajectories. A. A METEORITE FALL B. A V-2 RE-ENTRY] One of the most obvious applications of meteoritics in the future will grow out of the well-known fact that our earthly resources of many strategic materials—especially metals like iron and nickel—are fast becoming exhausted. The population of the earth is increasing at a mad pace, and an end to metal-consuming wars is still not in sight. The need for such metals can only become more and more acute. According to one of the currently favored explanations of the origin of the meteorites, the core-fragments of the parent meteorite-planet are solid masses of nickel-iron alloy—like the mass that blasted out the Canyon Diablo meteorite crater. If this meteorite-planet hypothesis finally wins general acceptance, the meteoriticist of the future is almost sure to be set the task of pin-pointing as exactly as possible the whereabouts in space and time of the most easily accessible cosmic nickel-iron lodes of this sort. Once he has given an answer, the space engineers will take over, and mining operations will be started on the unlimited sources of essential metals to be found in outer space. Initially, no doubt, metal recoveries will be freighted back to earth in rocket-load lots. But as the need for iron and nickel increases on a metal-hungry earth, vast engineering projects may well be undertaken to “snare” the larger metal meteorites and equip them with rocket motors. This will be done so that by use of rocket power, the natural orbits of the meteorites can be changed into orbits bringing them back to earth. Unlike the natural, uncontrolled Canyon Diablo meteorite fall that vaporized what would have been a rich nickel-iron deposit, the rocket-controlled meteoritic “metal mines” will be eased down to earth all in one piece. Reading of the possibility of sending out expeditions to find large iron meteorites in the depths of space may bring to your mind an image of the fearless mariners of old who sailed their stout ships over dangerous, often uncharted seas in search of the great whales. The rocket crews of day-after-tomorrow will no doubt be equally fearless and resourceful as they navigate the sea of space, intent on capturing the great “metal mines” of the future.