That group, backed by investors such as filmmaker James Cameron and Google executives Larry Page and Eric Schmidt, says it hopes to get its first unmanned probes into space by the end of 2013.

CNN: 'Fireflies' to scope out space rocks for mining

Other big summer stars include Tom Hanks in Larry Crowne, Kevin James in Zookeeper and Emma Stone in the film adaptation of The Help.

FORBES: The Biggest Movie Stars Of Summer 2011

Last week, a press release from big names like Larry Page, Ross Perot and James Cameron about combining space exploration with resource extraction made it all but obvious that somebody was going to announce some very ambitious plans surrounding asteroid mining.

FORBES: It's Official: Planetary Resources Announces Plans to Mine Asteroids

Clinton if she loses both in Indiana and North Carolina, " James Carville said Wednesday on CNN's "Larry King Live.

CNN: Polls: Clinton, Obama in tight race in Indiana

She has also profiled many actors, singers and artists, including Harrison Ford, Sean Connery, Jeremy Irons, Mel Gibson, Tom Hanks, Clint Eastwood, John Travolta, Jim Carrey, Courtney Love, Billy Crystal, Vanessa Redgrave, Peter O'Toole, Jane Fonda, Glenn Close, Barbara Streisand, Larry Flynt, Hunter Thompson, 50 Cent, James Earl Jones, Henry Winkler, Cee Lo Green, and Frank Zappa.

CNN: About

The other firm in the mining race, Planetary Resources, has backing from several billionaire investors, including Google's Larry Page and Eric Schmidt, software executive Charles Simonyi and filmmaker James Cameron.

BBC: New venture 'to mine asteroids'

While playing for Cleveland, James led squads to first-round sweeps in 2007 and 2009, but never held up the Larry O'Brien trophy.

WSJ: NBA Playoffs: Bad News for the Heat and Spurs, Champs Rarely Sweep to the Title