Q_rad = ε·σ·A·T⁴ (Stefan–Boltzmann)
Δv = v_e · ln(m0/m1) (Tsiolkovsky)
In vacuum, waste heat from drilling can only leave via radiation, so radiator area and emissivity set the equilibrium temperature. Mining thrust and station-keeping burns are budgeted against the rocket equation's limited delta-v.
- Laser Drill Power — cutting rate into the asteroid; higher power raises core temperature and ore yield rate.
- Thruster Thrust — reaction control thrust used to counter drilling recoil; consumes propellant (delta-v).
- Radiator Area — panel size that radiates waste heat to space, per Stefan–Boltzmann law; larger area cools the rig faster.
- Mining / Station-Keep — toggles between active drilling (with recoil and debris) and idle orbit hold.
Real-world use: proposed missions (e.g. AIDA-class rigs, Planetary Resources concepts) balance exactly this trio — drill power, thermal radiators, and propellant budget — to extract water and metals from near-Earth asteroids.