Development of asteroids. What are scientists hoping to find?
Many experts predicted that within the next
There is a long-term perspective beyond EarthThe main asteroid belt, which will provide even greater abundance. This is one of the reasons why the Psyche mission to explore the eponymous metal asteroid in the Main Belt has worried many. While exploring this body will tell us a lot about the history of the solar system, for some it may someday become a source of wealth.
Which asteroid will be mastered first and why exactly?
Asteroid (16) Psyche is a unique astronomical object: it is one of the 10 most massive bodies in the asteroid belt. Its diameter is 226 km.
What makes Psyche 16 especially interesting isits almost pure metallic composition. About 90% of the asteroid is made up of iron and nickel, although some speculate that there is enough gold and platinum there to really shake up the global economy if these metals can be brought back to Earth.
This artist's concept depicts the asteroid Psyche, the target of NASA's Psyche mission.
NASA / JPL-Caltech / ASU
The presence of nickel and iron separates it frommost other asteroids, which are mainly composed of silicate minerals (S-type) or carbonaceous compounds (C-type) and assigns it to the category of metallic asteroids (M-type).
The search for answers about the existence of life in the universe
At the moment, Psyche is the largest ofgroups of M-type asteroids. This has led many in the astronomical community to conclude that Psyche is actually a remnant of the planet's core. It is possible that 16 Psyche is the exposed planetary core of a small world that was hit so hard and so many times that its mantle was torn off, leaving the core exposed.
Consequently, studying it can tell a lot about the formation of planets in the early solar system and about the magnetic properties of rocky worlds (such as Earth and many other exoplanets).
This artist's concept, updated as of June 2020, depicts NASA's Psyche spacecraft.
NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU
Such studies are invaluable for scientists, becausethat they provide data on the likely formation of planets. He will also answer many questions regarding the asteroid itself: how old is it, is it really the core of a small planet, and if there are any similarities with the formation of the Earth's core. This is why NASA hopes to send a mission to this asteroid in 2022 that will arrive by 2026 and spend the next 21 months studying it from orbit.
Mission Psyche promises to teach us a lot abouthow the rocky planets of our solar system appeared. Understanding its magnetic properties could also show how Earth managed to maintain its protective magnetic field, while Mercury, Venus and Mars did not. In the case of Mars, this caused the surface to change from a warmer and more humid environment to the colder, dry and inhospitable place it is today.
Search for precious metals and minerals
For futurists and venture capitalistsThis asteroid is interesting because its cost is 700 quintillion dollars (that's 18 zeros!). 100 billion dollars for each person out of 7 billion people on Earth. It contains many precious heavy metals, including huge amounts of gold and platinum.
Here's how much you can earn on just one asteroid.
The Golden Titans now control hundredssome of the world's highest-producing facilities, but the 4-5 million ounces of gold they bring to market each year pales in comparison to what space miners can produce.
Of course, this kind of mission cannot begin,until all the necessary infrastructure is built. This will likely entail the creation of orbital production facilities, refueling points on or around the Moon, Mars and the asteroid belt. It would also make sense to build a foundation in the asteroid belt or in orbit so the minerals could be processed before being delivered to Earth, said Scott Moore, CEO of Toronto-based EuroSun Mining.
How will the asteroid be observed?
The proposed study will be conducted withusing a robotic vehicle called "Psyche". The spacecraft will orbit the asteroid for six months, studying its topography, gravity, magnetism and other features. It will not land on the asteroid, but scan it with onboard equipment. Psyche orbiter will also test Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC), a communications system expected to be 10 to 100 times more efficient than existing spacecraft communications systems.
Once the orbiter reachesasteroid, the entire observation period will last 20 months, and it will include orbit, mapping and studying the properties of the asteroid. Space missions typically consist of phases from AF, and the Psyche mission has entered Phase C, the final design and manufacturing phase, which ends in January 2021. The mission is scheduled for August 2022, with arrival at 16 Psyche expected in January 2026.
The future of asteroid development
Of course, this kind of mission cannot begin,until all the necessary infrastructure is built. This will likely entail the creation of orbital production facilities, refueling points on the Moon, Mars and in or around the asteroid belt. It would also be prudent to build a foundation in the Belt or in orbit so that the minerals can be recycled before being delivered to Earth.
For a more detailed summary there is a Roadmapfor space settlements, prepared by the National Space Society (NSS). As stated in Part 5 “Asteroid Mining and Orbital Space Settlement”:
"Telescopic observations initiallyidentify asteroids as near-Earth objects (NEOs), Earth-threatening NEOs, main belt asteroids, and other orbital groups. Initial robotic missions to NEO asteroids (near-Earth asteroids) of commercial interest will confirm the size and composition of various types of asteroids as rocky, metallic or carbonaceous and determine the actual mineral content of each.
The probes will also evaluate the structure of the asteroids asObvious piles of debris from loose fragments or from hard, undisturbed rock and metal. Some missions may return real samples of asteroid material for analysis. All this information will help governments plan for planetary defenses against threatening NEOs and mining companies decide which asteroids to focus on. ”
Once this is completed, automated mining ships can be sent out to collect asteroids.
When to expect full-scale space mining?
As Professor John Zarnecki (President of the Royal Astronomical Society) explained in an interview with the International Business Times, mining on asteroids could occur within a quarter of a century.
The timing of space production is a question for 64thousands of dollars. In my opinion, that's 25 years for a proof-of-concept and 50 years for a commercial launch. But there are so many uncertainties, mainly related to the economics and development of space technology.
John Zarnecki, President of the Royal Astronomical Society
Where are we now?
Psyche, NASA's exploration mission of the same namemetal asteroid, has recently passed an important milestone that brings it closer to its launch date in August 2022. The mission is now shifting from planning and design to high-performance hardware production for a spacecraft that will fly towards its target in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
Hall electric motor identical to thoseto be used to propel NASA's Psyche spacecraft, is being tested at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The blue glow is created by xenon, a neutral gas used in car headlights and plasma TVs.
NASA / JPL-Caltech
Like all NASA missions, early work on Psychestarted with digital drawings. This was followed by the creation of engineering models that were tested twice to confirm that the systems would do their job in deep space - flying a spacecraft, retrieving scientific data and transmitting it to Earth.
In July, the team working on the mission passeda key step in this process is the critical review of the project. That's when NASA begins constructing all of the project's systems, including the three scientific instruments and all of the spacecraft's engineering subsystems, from telecommunications, propulsion and power to avionics and the onboard computer.
A technician prepares to integrate part of an electric propulsion system into the main body of NASA's Psyche spacecraft at Maxar Technologies in Palo Alto, California.
Maxar Technologies
This is one of the most intense reviews thatthe mission takes place for its entire life cycle, scientists say. The team assured that the tests passed brilliantly. Not all problems have been resolved yet, and the finish line is far, but the researchers are moving towards their goal with confidence.
Asteroid development challenges
Although the media advertisedthat the valuable metal 16 Psyche delivered to Earth will cost a lot of money (up to 700 quintile dollars is the most popular estimate), delivery of all this metal to Earth is now out of the question. First, we still don't have the technology that would allow us to deliver that kind of mass and land safely on Earth. Secondly, mining the asteroid and transporting it in pieces could also be problematic, since, again, there is no safe technology.
Finally, even if we found a way to deliverall this to Earth, a sudden increase in the supply of iron, nickel and platinum would cause a sharp drop in prices, simply devaluing the metals. This would seriously impact the bottom line of space miners and jeopardize the long-term profitability of the entire company.
At the moment, the economy is strongly opposed. But what happens when certain materials start to run out and the price rises 10 times? Scientifically - where I come from - we will be mining the asteroid in the next decade.
John Zarnecki, Professor of Space Science at the Open University and President of the Royal Astronomical Society
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