As far as asteroid expeditions go, NASA’s upcoming Psyche mission is incredibly thrilling. Although it may not involve Earth-saving heroics like in the movie Armageddon, the mission has the potential to determine if a metal-rich space rock could bring down the global economy. The target of the mission is an ancient asteroid called 16 Psyche, estimated to be around 4.5 billion years old. Scientists believe that this asteroid is packed with valuable metals such as iron, nickel, and gold. In fact, its estimated value exceeds a staggering $10,000 quadrillion (£8,072 quadrillion), which is enough to make every person on Earth a billionaire.
Despite the immense value, NASA currently has no plans to extract these precious metals. Nevertheless, as the Psyche spacecraft prepares for launch next week, MailOnline has put together a detailed guide to provide insights into the mission’s six-year journey.
One of the most fascinating aspects of the mission is how much 16 Psyche is actually worth. Dr. Linda Elkins-Tanton, a space scientist at MIT, has calculated that the iron present in 16 Psyche alone could be worth $10,000 quadrillion (£8,072 quadrillion). If this asteroid were to be mined and its wealth brought to Earth, the value of precious metals would plummet and potentially lead to the collapse of the global economy. Dr. Elkins-Tanton speculates on the possibilities: whether to hoard the resources and control the market like diamonds or to solve the world’s metal resource problems.
The launch of the Psyche spacecraft is scheduled for October 12, where it will piggyback into space on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. After launch, the spacecraft will spend at least 26 months orbiting 16 Psyche, capturing images and gathering data. The orbiter will travel an incredible 2.2 billion miles over a six-year period to reach its destination. This asteroid, located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, lies approximately three times farther from the sun than Earth. Due to the difference in orbital speeds, the distance between Earth and 16 Psyche fluctuates from around 186 million miles to over 372 million miles.
To witness this extraordinary mission, NASA will be streaming the launch live on various platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, and Daily Motion. There will also be pre-launch coverage without commentary on the space agency’s TV media channel. Additionally, NASA will hold a mission and science briefing, as well as a pre-launch news conference, which will be available to watch on NASA TV and other platforms.
It’s worth noting that this mission will not have humans on board. Instead, the Psyche spacecraft will be operated remotely. It’s expected that Artemis II, scheduled for next year, will be the mission to carry astronauts beyond the International Space Station.
In summary, NASA’s Psyche mission is a groundbreaking endeavor that holds the potential to provide invaluable information about the composition and wealth of asteroids. The trip to 16 Psyche will be a long and remarkable journey that will shed light on the mysteries of the universe.
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