16th asteroid to be discovered by man can make everyone on Earth a billionaire

NASA has sent a probe to an asteroid that could make everyone on Earth a billionaire. Asteroid 16 Psyche is 173-mile wide and is estimated to be worth $10,000,000,000,000,000,000, or 10 quintillion. It is reported to be full of precious metals, like gold, iron, and nickel.

The asteroid was discovered 172 years ago by Italian astronomer Annibale de Gasparis. It was the 16th asteroid discovered by humans, and so was assigned the number 16 which reflects in its name. 

Experts say that the asteroid harbours so many valuable items that if brought to Earth, it can make each person on the planet richer by $1,246,105,919. 

Scientists say that the asteroid stretches 173 miles at its widest point, with 64,000 square miles of total surface area. Nearly 30 to 60 per cent of its form is estimated to be made up of these precious metals. Considering the size of the asteroid, it is home to a huge cache of objects that can transform the world.

To learn more about the asteroid, NASA launched the Psyche spacecraft in October 2023. It needs to travel 3.5 billion kilometres to reach the asteroid, a target set for August 2029.

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Core of a planet that exploded after a collision

The metallic celestial object is believed to be the remnant core of a planet that likely witnesses a catastrophic collision. Using data from it, NASA aims to understand more about the formation of Earth and other similar rocky or terrestrial planets.

Earlier this year, a study conducted by a team of scientists from the Southwest Research Institute found that Psyche hydrated minerals on its surface. The data collected by the James Webb telescope was used to analyse the space rock and points to the presence of hydroxyl on the surface of Psyche. 

The space rock is orbiting the sun between Mars and Jupiter. This will put the spacecraft in direct contact with the red planet in 2026. The Psyche spacecraft will come within the gravitational pull of Mars around May 2026. It will use its pull to dramatically increase its velocity and eventually reach the asteroid.