[1 min Read] Image by NASA Asteroid filled with gold: NASA's Psyche mission to explore a metallic world Imagine an asteroid made entirely of metal, including gold. That's what NASA's Psyche mission is hoping to find when it launches in 2023. Psyche is a giant asteroid located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It's about the size of Arizona and is thought to be made up of iron, nickel, and gold. Scientists believe that Psyche could be the exposed core of a planet that was destroyed billions of years ago. If Psyche is indeed made of gold, it would be worth an astronomical amount of money. Some estimates put the value of Psyche's gold at $10 quintillion, which is more than the entire global economy. However, it's important to note that Psyche's gold is not just sitting on the surface waiting to be collected. It would be embedded in the asteroid's core, making it very difficult to mine. Additionally, the cost of mining asteroids is currently too high to be profitable. Despite the challenges, the Psyche mission is still an important step towards the future of space mining. If NASA can successfully demonstrate how to mine asteroids, it could open up a whole new source of resources for humanity. In addition to its potential economic value, Psyche is also a fascinating scientific target. Scientists are eager to learn more about how Psyche formed and what its composition can tell us about the early solar system. The Psyche mission is scheduled to launch in October 2023 and will arrive at the asteroid in 2026. The spacecraft will spend four years orbiting Psyche and collecting data about its composition, magnetic field, and gravity. The Psyche mission is a bold undertaking, but it has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of asteroids and the early solar system. It's also a reminder that there are still many treasures to be discovered in space. M.C. Cosmic Web Radio
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