Asteroid 16 Psyche Holds $27 Quintillion in Metals, NASA Probe to Arrive in 2029

A new study published in the Planetary Science Journal estimates the metal value of asteroid 16 Psyche at an astonishing 27 quintillion dollars. Located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, Psyche is believed to be composed of about two-thirds metals such as iron, nickel, and cobalt. This valuation is based on current market prices for these metals and is over 200,000 times the combined annual economic output of all countries on Earth.

Researchers caution that this figure is purely theoretical, as current technology does not allow for mining and transporting these metals to Earth. Additionally, flooding the market with such a vast quantity of metals would drastically reduce their value. The study also supports previous findings that at least 30% of Psyche's surface is metallic.

NASA plans to send the Psyche spacecraft to the asteroid in 2029 to study its composition up close. Scientists hope to determine whether Psyche is the exposed metallic core of an early planet or a unique object formed during the solar system’s infancy.