NASA probe racing towards ‘golden asteroid’ Psyche ‘worth $10,000 quadrillion’ using 84,000 mph sci-fi blue electric thrusters

NASA launched a mission in October that aims to explore a 140-mile-wide metallic asteroid called 16 Psyche.

An object like 16 Psyche, considered the exposed core of a destroyed planet, has never been visited by any spacecraft – especially one worth $10,000 quadrillion.

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Asteroid 16 Psyche, the focus of NASA’s upcoming Psyche mission, surprisingly holds an estimated value of $100,000 quadrillion.

Located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, scientists believe that Psyche is the exposed metallic core of a long-lost protoplanet.

If these metals were present on Earth, their value would exceed the entire global economy, as estimated by Lindy Elkins-Tanton, chief scientist of the Psyche mission, for Espaço.com.

As an M-type asteroid, Psyche is recognized as metallic, although the exact composition of its metals remains uncertain.

Scientists use spectroscopy to determine the composition of celestial objects, a process that breaks down the light emitted by an object into a spectrum, giving it a unique “spectral fingerprint.”

WHAT IS THE WORD

“Unfortunately, metal does not have a unique spectral fingerprint,” Vishnu Reddy, a professor at the University of Arizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, told Space.com.

“You can say something is metallic, but you can’t say specifically what metal it is,” he added.

He also mentioned to the scientific community that although radar methods show that Psyche’s surface is highly reflective, they do not specify the nature of the reflective material.

According to him, many scientists suspect that Psyche’s surface is predominantly composed of nickel and iron, given their prevalence in asteroids.

Using computer simulations and examining the large impact craters on Psyche’s surface, scientists can hypothesize what materials the asteroid might be made of to withstand the impacts that created those craters, said a Science.com report.

Wendy Caldwell, a researcher at Los Alamos National Laboratory, told Space.com that her most promising findings, including those from a 2020 study, indicate that the asteroid may be composed of Monel.

This metal, composed mainly of nickel and copper, is believed to reflect the typical composition of metallic objects in space.

No matter what materials make up Psyche, the asteroid likely contains so much metal that estimating its quantity and applying current market value results in a surprising number.

Elkins-Tanton estimated that extracting the iron from Psyche alone could yield a value of $100,000 quadrillion.

Of course, this is based entirely on the value of the metal – not US dollars, as there is not enough money in the world to meet this estimate.

Key facts about Psyche

It has been more than 220 days since the release of 16 Psyche.

Here are some facts you should keep in mind about this NASA:

1. Discovered in 1852 by Italian astronomer Annibale de Gasparis, Psyche ranked 16th on the asteroid identification list. Psyche, the butterfly-winged goddess who symbolizes the soul in Greek mythology, is its namesake.
2. Psyche follows a scenic route in the outer realms of the main asteroid belt, cooling between Mars and Jupiter. This is approximately three times the distance to the Sun compared to Earth.
3. When it comes to shape, Psyche’s vibe is all about the lumpy, potato-like aesthetic. Cut it horizontally at the equator and you have a flat oval shape, measuring a whopping 173 miles wide at its widest part and 144 miles long. That’s a peculiar space potato!
4. Psyche has it all, weighing between 212 and 256 pounds per cubic foot. With surface gravity lower than that of Earth or even the Moon, lifting a car here feels more like lifting a sturdy dog.
5. Psyche likely features a major metal overhaul, courtesy of a planetesimal’s core. Surviving epic cosmic collisions, it is a living relic of our solar system’s tumultuous childhood.
6. Psyche’s composition is no ordinary space rock. Think rock-metal fusion, with brass possibly representing 30% to 60% of its volume. Radar and thermal inertia measurements helped solve this celestial composition puzzle.
7. Scientists have created a 3D model of Psyche, revealing two crater-like depressions and a kaleidoscope of metallic content and colors on its surface. But until Mission Psyche arrives for a visit, we’re left guessing at her true appearance. Talk about keeping us on the edge of our cosmic seats!

‘COMPLETE CRUISE’

Having turned on Psyche’s Hall electric thrusters, NASA is now guiding the spacecraft toward a metal-rich asteroid situated in the main asteroid belt, passing Mars, On the edge reported.

The agency confirms that Psyche is currently operating in “full cruise” mode, completing six months since its launch on October 13, 2023, using a conventional SpaceX rocket, according to the outlet.

Along the way, NASA leveraged Psyche to experiment with laser-based deep space communications.

From a distance of approximately 16 million miles, the spacecraft sent a communications laser back to Earth, marking a pioneering feat for NASA, The Verge reported.

Set to rendezvous with its namesake, the asteroid Psyche, in 2029, the probe will conduct a two-year orbit around it, collecting observations and transmitting data to NASA.

Scientists speculate that Psyche may actually represent the primordial core of a planet, also known as a planetesimal.

The probe is operating with ion propulsion, which produces thrust by energizing xenon particles, propelling them out of the thruster.

Although ion propulsion does not have the ability to launch a rocket from Earth, it can gradually reach impressive speeds.

NASA currently indicates that Psyche is traveling at 37 kilometers per second, equivalent to about 135,000 mph, with a final target speed of 190,000 mph.

These thrusters, similar to those on the Psyche, offer durability due to the lack of moving parts and fuel efficiency, making them suitable for smaller spacecraft.

They also present an attractive visual appearance when activated, according to The Verge.

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