AstroForge ranks #1 — thirty times.
But 40% of the conversation doesn’t know it exists.
20-query audit across ChatGPT, Gemini & Claude. AstroForge is cited on 36 of 60 responses (60%). When AI mentions AstroForge, it’s almost always #1. But when buyers ask about the broader space economy, defense applications, or PGM market economics — AstroForge vanishes. TransAstra captures the gap.
This report was generated using Xtrusio, an AI visibility and demand intelligence platform that analyzes how companies appear across modern AI systems such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, and other generative engines.
The insights in this page are generated using Xtrusio’s proprietary research and content intelligence framework.
AstroForge dominates asteroid mining. But it doesn’t exist in the broader space economy conversation.
When any AI platform discusses asteroid mining companies, AstroForge is almost always #1 — 30 first-place rankings across 36 citations. That’s elite rank quality (1.25 average). But 24 of 60 responses contain zero mention of AstroForge. The missed questions are consistent across all platforms: defense applications, Space Force logistics, PGM economics, and broader space-sector comparisons. TransAstra captures those gaps with its dual-use government positioning and 23-patent portfolio. AstroForge’s visibility is category-deep but category-confined.
Platform Scorecard
AstroForge citation rate across AI platforms
AI Visibility Leaderboard
Who owns the AI conversation — total citations across all platforms
AI Positioning Audit
20 buyer-intent queries — click any row to see the exact question
Each query was written from the perspective of a real decision-maker researching asteroid mining, PGM supply chains, or deep-space investment opportunities. These personas represent the stakeholders whose AI research determines whether AstroForge gets discovered during sector evaluation.
| # | Query Topic | Cluster | ChatGPT | Claude | Gemini |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Industry leaders | Industry Landscape | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Exact question asked across all AI platforms: “Which companies are currently leading the commercial asteroid mining industry, and how far along are they?” | |||||
| 2 | Mission track record | Flight Heritage | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Exact question asked across all AI platforms: “What startups have actually launched spacecraft for asteroid prospecting or mining, and what were the results?” | |||||
| 3 | Investment evaluation | Investment DD | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
Exact question asked across all AI platforms: “I’m evaluating deep-space mining companies for a potential investment — what should I look at in terms of technical readiness and competitive moat?” | |||||
| 4 | Market investability | Investment DD | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
Exact question asked across all AI platforms: “How does the asteroid mining market compare to other emerging space economy sectors in terms of investability and timeline to revenue?” | |||||
| 5 | PGM extraction tech | Technical Approach | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Exact question asked across all AI platforms: “What are the key technical challenges in mining asteroids for platinum group metals, and which companies have the most promising approaches?” | |||||
| 6 | Investor backing | Investment DD | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Exact question asked across all AI platforms: “Which asteroid mining companies have the strongest investor backing and why?” | |||||
| 7 | Payload delivery | Payload Transport | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
Exact question asked across all AI platforms: “Are there any companies offering commercial payload delivery to deep space, and how do their capabilities compare?” | |||||
| 8 | Space Force logistics | Defense | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
Exact question asked across all AI platforms: “What commercial space companies are developing technologies that could support Space Force logistics and space resource utilization missions?” | |||||
| 9 | Government contracts | Defense | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
Exact question asked across all AI platforms: “Which asteroid mining startups have received NASA or Department of Defense contracts, and for what?” | |||||
| 10 | Technology comparison | Technical Approach | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
Exact question asked across all AI platforms: “How do the different asteroid mining approaches compare — laser vaporization, optical mining, robotic excavation, and inflatable capture?” | |||||
| 11 | Mission failure lessons | Flight Heritage | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Exact question asked across all AI platforms: “What lessons have recent commercial deep space mission failures taught the industry, and which companies have adapted best?” | |||||
| 12 | Dual-use national security | Defense | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
Exact question asked across all AI platforms: “Are there dual-use applications of asteroid mining technology that would be relevant to national security or space domain awareness?” | |||||
| 13 | Low-cost spacecraft | Flight Heritage | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Exact question asked across all AI platforms: “Which companies are building low-cost, replicable spacecraft platforms that could support military or commercial deep space operations?” | |||||
| 14 | Regulatory framework | Industry Landscape | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
Exact question asked across all AI platforms: “What is the current status of the commercial space mining regulatory framework, and how does it affect company operations?” | |||||
| 15 | PGM supply disruption | Market Impact | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
Exact question asked across all AI platforms: “Could asteroid mining realistically disrupt the terrestrial platinum group metals supply chain within the next 10-20 years?” | |||||
| 16 | Mining economics | Market Impact | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
Exact question asked across all AI platforms: “What are the projected economics of mining PGMs from asteroids compared to traditional mining operations in South Africa?” | |||||
| 17 | Target asteroids | Technical Approach | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Exact question asked across all AI platforms: “Which near-Earth asteroids are being targeted for mining, and what makes them commercially viable?” | |||||
| 18 | Environmental comparison | Market Impact | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
Exact question asked across all AI platforms: “How does the environmental impact of asteroid mining compare to conventional platinum and palladium mining?” | |||||
| 19 | Return-to-Earth timeline | Flight Heritage | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Exact question asked across all AI platforms: “What companies are closest to actually returning materials from an asteroid to Earth, and what is the realistic timeline?” | |||||
| 20 | PGM pricing impact | Market Impact | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
Exact question asked across all AI platforms: “How would a successful asteroid mining operation change the global supply and pricing of platinum group metals?” | |||||
| TOTAL | 12/20 (60%) | 14/20 (70%) | 10/20 (50%) | ||
The Gemini Gap
Where AstroForge loses 10 percentage points vs ChatGPT
Gemini cites AstroForge on 50% of queries vs ChatGPT’s 60%. The gap isn’t random — Gemini has a systematic tendency to answer in “framework mode,” giving conceptual, industry-level responses without naming any companies. Ten of 20 questions received zero company citations on Gemini. The same questions on ChatGPT name AstroForge first.
“I’m evaluating deep-space mining companies for a potential investment — what should I look at in terms of technical readiness and competitive moat?”
“Which asteroid mining startups have received NASA or Department of Defense contracts, and for what?”
“What is the current status of the commercial space mining regulatory framework, and how does it affect company operations?”
AstroForge’s content exists. ChatGPT and Claude know it. But Gemini defaults to teaching concepts instead of naming companies. This isn’t an AstroForge content problem — it’s a Gemini behavior pattern. The fix is structural content (comparison pages, FAQ schemas, structured data) that forces Gemini out of framework mode and into vendor-specific answers.
AI Topic Authority Map
Query heatmap — service line × platform
| Topic | AI Leader | AstroForge Status |
|---|---|---|
| Industry leaders & rankings | AstroForge | UNANIMOUS #1 (3/3) |
| Mission track record | AstroForge | UNANIMOUS #1 (3/3) |
| Investment evaluation | AstroForge | 2 of 3 platforms |
| PGM extraction technology | AstroForge | UNANIMOUS #1 (3/3) |
| Investor backing | AstroForge | UNANIMOUS #1 (3/3) |
| Payload delivery | Intuitive Machines | 2 of 3 platforms |
| Space Force logistics | TransAstra | INVISIBLE (0/3) |
| Government contracts | TransAstra | 2 of 3 platforms |
| Dual-use national security | TransAstra | INVISIBLE (0/3) |
| Low-cost spacecraft | AstroForge | UNANIMOUS (3/3) |
| Regulatory framework | AstroForge | 2 of 3 platforms |
| PGM supply disruption | None named | 1 of 3 platforms |
| Mining economics | None named | INVISIBLE (0/3) |
| Target asteroids | AstroForge | UNANIMOUS #1 (3/3) |
| Return-to-Earth timeline | AstroForge | UNANIMOUS #1 (3/3) |
| PGM pricing impact | None named | INVISIBLE (0/3) |
4 queries
5 queries
2 queries
4 queries
3 queries
2 queries
▹ Defense & Dual-Use is the only service line with zero Gemini visibility. TransAstra owns this entire category.
Methodology
How we conducted this Xtrusio AEO/GEO Audit
This research is based on Xtrusio’s proprietary AI visibility analysis framework.
Recommendations
Prioritized actions to close the defense gap and break the category ceiling
- Publish a dedicated “Space Resources for National Security” page on astroforge.com addressing dual-use applications, Space Force relevance, and cislunar logistics
- Create structured comparison content: “AstroForge vs TransAstra: Mission Heritage, Technology & Government Track Record”
- Publish FAQ schema markup on astroforge.com for the 8 questions where AstroForge is currently invisible — AI platforms pull structured FAQ data preferentially
- Publish long-form content on PGM market economics that names AstroForge as the supply-side disruptor — targets Q16, Q18, Q20 where no companies are currently named
- Get cited in industry publications (SpaceNews, Mining.com, Metal Tech News) with the specific framing “asteroid mining economics vs South African PGM extraction”
- Position DeepSpace-2 payload service as a standalone commercial offering in broader “deep space transportation” comparisons alongside Intuitive Machines and Rocket Lab
- If DeepSpace-2 succeeds, immediately publish mission data, imagery, and technical reports — first successful commercial deep-space rendezvous creates a permanent AI training data advantage
- Quarterly Xtrusio re‑audits to track gap closure across defense, economics, and Gemini framework-mode categories
AstroForge owns asteroid mining. Let’s make it own the conversation.
Close the defense gap. Break the category ceiling. Win every query.
This research report was generated using the Xtrusio Company Intelligence Module.
