This Metal Asteroid Is Worth More Than The Global Economy
It would be expensive, to say the least, to go get this big metal chunk in space and bring it back to Earth. But the payoff would be worth it.
The Hubble Space Telescope has been watching this asteroid, nicknamed "Psyche."
NASA is drawing up plans to visit it in 2026. But it will be just a visit. We are nowhere near ready to mine such a thing or bring it closer to Earth so we can work on it.
But if you're thinking about those riches and want to give it a go, I can tell you where it is. Just head about 230 million miles from Earth into what we call the asteroid belt. You'll find it orbiting between Mars and Jupiter.
You'll know you have the right one when you see something about 140 miles wide and NOT made of rock, like other asteroids around it, but made of metal. You will also see a large dollar sign painted on it (that last part might not be true).
Psyche is so dense and metallic that it is thought to be the leftover core of a planet failed to fully form. It is made of iron and nickel, mostly, which is what the cores of planets like Earth and Mars are made of.
Scientist are calling Psyche a one-of-a-kind object in the solar system.
So I bet at this point you are wondering how much this orbiting chunk in space is worth: how about $10,000 quadrillion? That's not a joke.
Talk about a winning lottery ticket - currently the global economy is only $142 trillion.
So - who's with me? I'm building a rocket in my back yard. I need some more duct tape, if you are going by the store on your way here.