NASA plans to study, NOT MINE, a “gold mine” asteroid worth QUADRILLIONS by 2026

NASA wants to study, and oddly not mine, a supposed $ 10 quadrillion asteroid.

According to a recent Daily Star report, NASA plans to send an expedition to asteroid Psyche 16 by 2026. But this asteroid is not just a giant space rock. As recent analyzes reveal, Psyche 16 is a 124 mile wide “gold mine” of space rock containing up to $ 10 quadrillion value of precious metals.

To put it in perspective, 1 quadrillion is followed by fifteen zeros. 1 billion only had nine. And this asteroid is currently floating in our solar system, located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter in the famous asteroid belt. However, NASA didn’t exactly say it was looking to mine the asteroid. Their official reason is to study him because he could own far more than billions of dollars in gold, silver, and other precious metals.

Many theories claim that Psyche 16, being a predominantly metallic asteroid (which makes it hard to call it “space rock”), could be the exposed core of an ancient planet whose outer layers were removed long ago. , according to NASA. First discovered in 1852, Psyche 16 has only been studied in visible and infrared light. The mission scheduled for 2026 will involve Earth sending a spacecraft to study it closely.

It should be noted that NASA originally planned to launch the Psyche mission by August 19, 2022. But as the agency is still deeply engrossed in its current mission to Mars and other much closer celestial bodies, it has had to postpone it.

Read also: NASA tracks an asteroid double the size of the Great Pyramid of Giza that will collide with Earth’s orbit very soon

NASA and the other interesting asteroids they’ve found

Psyche 16 is far from the only interesting asteroid humans have ever discovered. However, it could be the most valuable in monetary terms, as it appears to be the only predominantly metallic one ever found so far.

NASA has been looking for asteroids for years, but not specifically to mine them for precious metals. One of their main goals is to predict when a giant space rock could potentially strike Earth, so they can help protect the planet from possible obliteration.

Last year, their efforts led them to identify an asteroid as large as the Great Pyramid of Giza, which came dangerously close to Earth orbit last year. But of course, this is not the only one. Currently, NASA is tracking around 2,000 different asteroids and comets, 90% of which have been confirmed as potential threats to Earth.

NASA may not want to mine asteroids, but UK company is doing it

Psyche is far from the only asteroid composed of precious metals. Another, called Asteroid 1986DA, is currently monitored by a UK mining company. Estimated at around $ 13 trillion, the 1986DA Asteroid could be mined by the aptly named Asteroid Mining Corporation by 2027.

With businesses like this already in existence (and relevant legislation already passed), seeing humans mining asteroids in search of valuable materials will be commonplace in the future.

Related: NASA to develop asteroid-hunting space telescope to monitor possible threats to Earth

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Written by RJ Pierce

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