NASA has provided an update on its mission to capture the asteroid 16 Psyche, which is estimated to be worth $10,000 quadrillion due to its rich composition of precious metals, including gold, iron, and nickel. Last year, NASA announced its plan to embark on a mission to this faraway asteroid, aiming to uncover more about planetary cores and the formation of planets.
The spacecraft, launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on October 13, 2023, is now in “full cruise” mode. It has been traveling a journey of 2.2 billion miles (3.5 billion km) at a speed of approximately 84,000 mph through space and is expected to reach the asteroid in August 2029. NASA has equipped the spacecraft with “sci-fi-worthy” thrusters that expel xenon ions, creating a thrust that will eventually allow it to accelerate to up to 124,000 mph.
Upon arrival, the spacecraft will spend two years orbiting 16 Psyche, gathering crucial data. Before reaching its final destination, the spacecraft will approach Mars in May 2026 for a gravity assist to boost its momentum. The mission is planned to conclude in November 2031.
The asteroid 16 Psyche measures a massive 173 miles (280 km) across and 144 miles (232 km) long, with a surface area of 64,000 square miles (165,800 square km). Nicola Fox, associate administrator for NASA’s science mission directorate, highlighted that Psyche’s enormous size and largely unchanged state make it a prime target for study.
There has been much speculation about the potential economic impact if NASA were able to bring the asteroid back to Earth. While theoretically, this could make every person on the planet a billionaire, scientists warn that such an influx of wealth could crash the world’s economy, akin to everyone winning the lottery jackpot simultaneously.
