NASA is planning a mission to explore a golden asteroid called 16 Psyche, which is believed to be worth more than the entire world economy. The asteroid, estimated to be worth $10,000 quadrillion, is a heavy metal object that may contain a core of iron, nickel and gold. The mission was originally planned for August 2022, but was delayed due to institutional issues at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Now that the issues have been resolved, the 280-million-mile journey to the golden asteroid is expected to launch between October 5 and 25 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. “The independent review board is extremely impressed with the achievements of the entire JPL and Caltech organization,” JPL said in a report via CHRON.
The report added that “The commitment and leadership of the overall response process by the JPL director and senior management is considered world-class.” Psyche, named after the Greek goddess of the soul, was discovered in 1852 by Italian astronomer Annibale de Gasparis. The golden asteroid orbits the sun in the region between Mars and Jupiter.
Astronomers say the golden asteroid is shaped like a potato and is roughly 140 miles across. Scientists believe that Psyche may be the exposed metallic core of a “planetasimal or nascent planet” that suffered violent collisions, shedding its rocky outer layers during the early stages of our solar system’s formation.
NASA’s upcoming mission will mark an important milestone as it will be the first study of a celestial body rich in metallic elements. Expected to arrive at the golden asteroid in August 2029, the spacecraft will orbit the golden asteroid for 26 months. The study of 16 Psyche is of great importance as it can provide insight into planetary formation processes.
Additionally, 16 Psyche provides a unique chance to study an exposed planetary core up close. If the origin of the golden asteroid is consistent with current theories, its analysis could provide valuable information about the composition and characteristics of planetary cores. The mission’s goals include studying other geological aspects, such as the magnetic field and mass distribution.
In addition, the data collected by the mission will contribute to a better understanding of the formation of the solar system and the role that asteroids play in it. Interestingly, the golden asteroid is not the only precious stone in space. NASA has previously said that the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter contains an abundance of minerals with an estimated value of $100 billion for every person on Earth.
The real challenge, however, is extracting these precious metals from each asteroid and transporting them safely back to our planet. The gold asteroid’s abundance of precious metals makes it an attractive target for potential mining operations, further emphasizing its importance in terms of economic and resource exploration.
Meanwhile, NASA says the total cost of the mission to visit the golden asteroid is $985 million. An amount of $717 million has already been spent on the project as of July 2022. The mission team is currently performing the final stages of testing the spacecraft’s flight software, ensuring its readiness for the planned launch in October.