At the beginning of October, NASA’s mission to the asteroid Psyche, which can save the world economy, leaves. It’s called “Soul” and some say it could save the world economy. We’re talking about an asteroid – with an estimated value of 10 trillion dollars – that could (at some point) provide nickel and iron to earth.
Discovered by the Italian astronomer Annibale de Gasparis in 1852, the asteroid Psyche is a celestial body about 140 miles in diameter and between 235 and 309 million miles from Earth.
Next October, a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket will launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to reach “Soul”, which in addition to revealing secrets about the formation of our planet, could solve the shortage of iron and nickel.
NASA’s Announcement:
“Heading for a metal-rich asteroid of the same name, the Psyche mission is targeting an October 5 launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The spacecraft’s solar arrays fold like an envelope into place. Xenon gas – fuel for travel to the asteroid belt – is loaded. All four boosters have passed their final tests. Engineers have confirmed that the massive high-gain antenna is set to transmit data. The software is tested and ready. The science instruments – a multispectral imager, magnetometer and gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer – that will investigate asteroid Psyche are ready for action.”
The asteroid Psyche
The asteroid, 16 Psyche, has long been believed to be an M-type asteroid, the largest of its kind. It is located in the asteroid belt between the planets Mars and Jupiter. Its size cannot be underestimated, with a diameter of about 227 kilometers, it is longer than the maximum length of the entire island of Cyprus.
In fact, 16 Psyche is so massive that it has observable gravitational perturbations on other asteroids in the belt. After escaping Earth’s gravity, Psyche will use solar electric propulsion to complete its six-year journey to the asteroid. The efficient propulsion system works by accelerating and ejecting charged atoms or ions of the neutral gas xenon – creating an impulse that gently propels the spacecraft with a force similar to what you’d feel holding an AA battery in your hand. Technicians recently loaded 2,392 pounds (1,085 kg) of xenon into the spacecraft over the course of about two weeks.
26 months in orbit
Asteroid Psyche offers a unique opportunity to explore a metal-rich body that may be part of a planetoid core, the building block of an early planet.
Once the spacecraft reaches Psyche, in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, it will spend about 26 months orbiting the asteroid, collecting images and other data that will tell scientists more about its history and what it’s made of.
In addition to scientific curiosity there are precious metals in the middle.
However, the development of space mining has not yet materialized. Investors are ready to spend their dollars, since scientists believe that everything is a matter of time.
China, however, has already made its moves for the use of space resources. Since on earth everything ends we must find new sources of energy and action at all levels.
