This $10 trillion asteroid is about to be reached by NASA

Artistic concept of Asteroid 16 Psyche. Credit: Maxar/ASU/P.Rubin/NASA/JPL-Caltech
Zeus Valtierra Zeus Valtierra 8 min

Psyche was discovered by an Italian astronomer Annibale de Gasparis un 17 de marzo de 1852. He named the asteroid PhysicGreek goddess of the soul, born mortal and married to Eros (Roman Cupid), god of love.

Asteroid Psyche is of great scientific interest as it may be rich in metals. can be From the core of the planets are mostly made of metalThe Sun is one of the fundamental components of the planetary system.

The mind is shaped like an irregular potato. If it is bisected horizontally at the equator (imagine a squashed oval) it will measure 280 km wide At its widest point and 232 km long. its surface 165,800 square kilometers.

Until recently, the scientific consensus was that asteroids were mostly made of metal. More recent data indicate that it is possible A mixture of metal and silicateThe same material found in glass and sand.

A billion dollar island between Mars and Jupiter

Previous studies have indicated that psychology is made of rock and metal Metal makes up 30% to 60% of its volume. Composition is determined through radar observations and measurements of the asteroid’s thermal stability (how quickly an object receives or radiates heat).

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By combining optical and radar observations, scientists developed 3D model of Psyche showing evidence of two crater-like depressions. This suggests that there is significant variation in the asteroid’s metal content and color on its surface. But until NASA’s Psych mission takes a close look at the asteroid for the first time, we won’t know what it really looks like.

Scientists believe that one of the building blocks of our solar system is a significant amount of metal from the cores of planets. Mostly The asteroid survived several violent collisions, common during the formation of the Solar System. Therefore, it can tell us how Earth’s core and the cores of other rocky or terrestrial planets formed.

mental illness It orbits the Sun between Mars and Jupiter at a distance of 378 million to 497 million kilometers from the Sun.. That’s 2.5 to 3.3 AU (1 AU is the distance between the Earth and the Sun). It takes Psyche about five Earth years to complete one orbit around the Sun, but four hours to complete one revolution on its axis (one Psyche “day”).

Study

This enigmatic asteroid is now the primary target of NASA’s Psych mission. Spacecraft, also known as Psyche. Released on October 5, 2023 A Mars flyby will be followed by solar propulsion (less thrust) to travel towards the asteroid.

Once the spacecraft reaches the asteroid, it will conduct science operations from four intermediate orbits, where it will use its advanced science instruments to map and study the psyche. The main objective is to determine whether the mind is actually the embryo of a planet..

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task

Psyche is the name and name of an asteroid that orbits the Sun between Mars and Jupiter. NASA space travel Arizona State University led the asteroid viewing.

task On January 4, 2017, it was selected by NASA as one of two Discovery Program missions. From the agency, a series of relatively low-cost trips to destinations in the solar system.

Scientific Objectives of Mission Psyche Understand the basic elements of planetary formation And explore a whole new and unexplored world firsthand.

The mission team seeks to determine whether the soul is a residual substance from the core, How old is it, did it form under conditions similar to Earth’s core, and what does its surface look like?.

Artist’s impression of Mission Psyche. Credit: NASA/JPL

Psyche spacecraft and solar panels, They are about the size of a tennis court. The spacecraft’s body is slightly larger than a small pickup truck and as high as a basketball hoop.

Psyche will carry the shuttle Advanced tools They are listed below:

  • Multispectral imager: Provides high-resolution images using filters to distinguish metallic and silicate components.
  • Gamma Ray and Neutron Spectrometer: Detects, measures and maps the elemental composition of an asteroid.
  • Magnetometer: It is designed to detect and measure the asteroid’s residual magnetic field.
  • Radiology: Using X-band radio communications to measure the gravitational field with high precision, providing information about the inner structure of the psyche.
  • Deep Space Optical Communication (DSOC): A cutting-edge new laser communications technology that encodes data in photons. Their use allows the spacecraft to communicate more data in a shorter time.
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16 If it is confirmed that the soul is composed of an estimated amount of metals, it is quite possible 10 trillion dollar worthOne that will undoubtedly attract the attention of many capitalist countries.

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