Until now, the rush for gold attracted many people that wanted to get rich quick to almost every part of our planet. Today’s market is supplied by nearly 5 million ounces (over 141 tonnes) of gold by the ‘Titans of Gold.’ But that is nothing compared with the quantity of the metal that can be found in space. CEO Scott Moore of Euro Sun Mining company anticipates that the “space race will turn to gold in the future.” And that could be possible from the moment 16 Psyche “golden” asteroid will be mined.
Asteroid 16 Psyche Would Be A Genuine Gold Mine
“Golden” asteroid 16 Psyche is one of the ten largest asteroids in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The distance between the asteroid and the Sun is three times bigger than the gap between the Earth and the Sun.
Its diameter is around 200 km (the sixteenth part of Earth’s moon) and is one of the most massive metallic asteroids. Its value is thought to be hundreds of quintillions in precious metals, such as gold, iron, and nickel, a sufficient amount to all human beings on Earth to become very rich.
NASA Targets 16 Psyche “Golden” Asteroid With A Mission In 2022
NASA plans to demonstrate 16 Psyche’s worth in 2022 as a mission to reach it is in development. But not in the way some of the ‘Titans of Gold’ and miners might think. NASA’s interest in the asteroid is purely scientifical.
16 Psyche’s composition can state a lot of information about how Earth came into being. Researchers haven’t decided yet if 16 Psyche is either a chunk of a mesosiderite, a rare class of meteorites or was the core of a small planetary body whose mantle was destroyed by repeated crashes of celestial objects.
If the last theory is correct, then scientists could be able to understand better how our planet had formed as it is impossible to explore Earth’s core. NASA’s Psyche mission is going to be among the first one to explore a metal celestial body rather than one of rock and ice.
