NASA will explore Psyche and send a spacecraft in 2026 to grab the soil of Psyche asteroid. Image Courtesy – CNN
An asteroid of $10,000 quadrillion worth is observed by NASA’s Hubble Telescope and it revealed that iron, nickel, gold are all arranged in layers with huge quantities. It is like a hidden treasure in space and NASA will explore Psyche very soon.
If we can dig, we will find hundreds of metals like gold, platinum, iron, nickel etc. A very valuable asteroid is orbiting in the darkness of space. The asteroid is 36 crore kilometres away from the earth.
The name of the asteroid is given as ‘16 Psyche’. NASA’s Hubble Telescope has given the location of this asteroid. It described the position of the asteroid in the asteroid belt and between Mars and Jupiter.
Many other asteroids also contain metal. But this asteroid is different. Many metals like iron, nickel, gold are all arranged in layers. NASA scientists say that Psyche is not just crammed with rough rocks. Underneath its rugged surface, there is a huge treasure of metals.
This heavy metal asteroid was discovered on March 17, 1853. The asteroid was discovered by an Italian astronomer Annibel de Gasparis. The asteroid is named after the Greek goddess Psyche. Astronomers said it was not previously understood that such an asteroid has hidden metal deposits in the Earth’s solar system.
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This potato-shaped asteroid is 140 miles in circumference. NASA is planning to launch a spacecraft and dig into the ground of Psyche. Scientists have published the news of Psyche in the journal ‘Planetary Science’.
Astronomers at the NASA Research Institute have been watching on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Attempts were being made to find out the inside of the Psyche with the help of high-resolution ultraviolet rays. Initially, it was thought that layers of iron are involved in the surface above the asteroid, and not in solid texture. Iron is accompanied by nickel and other metals. Scientist Tracy Baker says preliminary research has shown that Psyche contains iron oxide. Sunlight is reflected in the iron layer.
Solar storms are also present in the asteroid. No other asteroid in the solar system usually has such heavy metal. Psyche is the exception there. Particles from the sun, cosmic rays are hitting the surface of this asteroid and coming out. That was why it was understood that the body of the asteroid was wrapped with metal.
NASA will explore Psyche, they will send a spacecraft in 2026 to grab the soil of Psyche asteroid. Falcon Heavy Rocket of SpaceX will be launched into space from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. It will collect metal samples. It will take 21 months to reach Psyche. NASA has started preparations for ‘Mission Psyche’.
The scientists guessed that a piece of iron of the size of the asteroid will be around $10,000 quadrillion – which is more than the entire economy of the Earth. NASA will send an unmanned spaceship to perform a close study of the asteroid and its compositions.
