NASA already made plans in 2019 to send an unmanned mission to asteroid 16 Psyche in 2022. However, the mission was delayed due to development and software problems. These problems should be resolved next year, according to the space agency.
At the moment, October 10, 2023 is mentioned as the official launch date. It will take another six years – until August 2029 – for the truly unmanned mission to reach the asteroid.
1.3 billion euros per resident
It is estimated that Asteroid 16 Psyche contains so much gold and platinum that its proceeds could, in theory, make any terrestrial person extremely wealthy. The total value of raw materials on 26 kilometers of sloppy rock is 9,000,000,000,000,000,000 euros, or 9 trillion euros. This is equivalent to 1.3 billion euros for each inhabitant of the earth.
Although the asteroid is highly valued due to the large amounts of iron, nickel and various precious metals, it is not the intention of extracting 16 Psyches. According to NASA, there are a number of reasons for this. First of all, an asteroid can produce astronomical quantities only if it is brought completely to Earth, chopped up and processed. 16 Bringing a soul to our planet is impossible. It may be possible in steps with expensive mining tasks, but this is not an easy task either.
The 9 trillion asteroid is not only of great economic value, but can also contribute from a scientific point of view to understanding the origin of our planet. The total cost of the mission, including launch, is approximately $985 million.
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