Imagine an asteroid that is so valuable that it could make every person on Earth a billionaire. That's the potential worth of 16 Psyche, a metal-rich space rock that orbits the Sun between Mars and Jupiter. NASA is planning to launch a spacecraft in October 2023 to study this unique asteroid, which could reveal secrets about the origin and evolution of our solar system.
What is 16 Psyche?
16 Psyche is one of the largest and most massive asteroids in the main asteroid belt, with a diameter of about 140 miles (225 kilometers). It was discovered in 1852 by Italian astronomer Annibale de Gasparis, and named after the Greek goddess of the soul. Unlike most asteroids, which are made of rock or ice, 16 Psyche is thought to be composed mostly of iron and nickel, similar to the core of a terrestrial planet. Some scientists believe that 16 Psyche is the exposed remnant of a protoplanet that was stripped of its outer layers by collisions billions of years ago.
Why is it so valuable?
The metal content of 16 Psyche is estimated to be worth around $10 quintillion, or $10,000,000,000,000,000,000. That's more than the entire global economy, which was valued at $84 trillion in 2019. Of course, this is just a theoretical value, as mining and transporting such a massive amount of metal from space would be extremely challenging and costly. Moreover, flooding the market with so much metal would likely crash the prices and devalue the asteroid. Nevertheless, 16 Psyche represents a potential treasure trove of resources for future space exploration and colonization.
How will NASA explore it?
NASA's Psyche mission, led by Arizona State University and managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, will launch in October 2023 using a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. The spacecraft will fly by Mars in May 2024 to get a gravity assist, and then reach 16 Psyche in January 2026. It will spend 26 months in orbit around the asteroid, mapping its surface, measuring its magnetic field, and analyzing its composition. The mission aims to answer some fundamental questions about the nature and history of 16 Psyche, such as:
- Is it really made of metal?
- How did it form and evolve?
- What can it tell us about the cores of Earth and other planets?
- Does it have any moons or rings?
The Psyche mission will be the first to visit a metal-rich asteroid, and the first to explore a world that may have been an early planetesimal. It will provide unprecedented insights into one of the most mysterious and intriguing objects in our solar system.
Source:
(1) Asteroid News: $10 Quintillion Space Rock [Infographic] - Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinanderton/2021/12/30/asteroid-news-10-quintillion-space-rock-infographic/.
(2) Massive $10 quintillion metal-rich asteroid draws closer to US reach .... https://www.livemint.com/science/news/massive-10-quintillion-metal-rich-asteroid-draws-closer-to-us-reach-report-11690005818765.html.
(3) An asteroid loaded with $10 quintillion worth of metals edges closer to US reach. https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/an-asteroid-loaded-with-10-quintillion-worth-of-metals-edges-closer-to-us-reach/articleshow/101996312.cms.
(4) NASA nearing launch date for mission to metal-rich asteroid said to be worth quintillions. https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/jul/22/nasa-nearing-launch-date-mission-metal-rich-astero/.
(5) This Metal-Rich, Potato-Shaped Asteroid Could Be Worth $10 Quintillion .... https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/asteroid-16-psyche-may-be-worth-more-than-planet-earth-at-10-quintillion-in-fine-metals-180979303/.
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