Asteroid Worth $10 Quintillion Could Make Everyone on Earth a Billionaire, NASA to Investigate 16 Psyche

NASA's mission to explore the asteroid 16 Psyche is set to unlock new secrets of the solar system—and possibly make every person on Earth a billionaire, at least hypothetically. The asteroid is valued at an astonishing $10 quintillion (that’s $10,000,000,000,000,000,000), thanks to its rich composition of precious metals that could transform the global economy.

The Journey to 16 Psyche

Last month, NASA launched a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket bound for 16 Psyche, one of the largest known M-type asteroids in our solar system. Located 2.2 billion miles (3.5 billion km) away in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, this object has captivated scientists due to its unique metallic composition.

Unlike most asteroids, which are made of rock and ice, 16 Psyche is primarily composed of metals such as iron, nickel, platinum, and palladium—elements that are critical to manufacturing electronics, cars, and other vital technologies on Earth. NASA estimates that 16 Psyche’s surface area spans 64,000 square miles (165,800 square kilometers) and that 30 to 60 percent of its composition is metallic.

The Potential Wealth of 16 Psyche

The vast amount of metal on 16 Psyche has led to its staggering valuation. If it were somehow transported to Earth and its precious metals extracted, the wealth generated could be enough to make every person on the planet an instant billionaire.

Currently, the global population stands at around 8.025 billion people. Dividing the $10 quintillion value of the asteroid by this number would give each individual a share worth approximately $1.25 billion. While this figure is mind-boggling, it’s important to note that this is a purely hypothetical scenario—one that would not come without significant economic and logistical challenges.

The Economic Consequences

While the idea of distributing such a fortune might sound like a utopian dream, it would likely have severe economic consequences. The sudden influx of $10 quintillion into the global economy could lead to inflation, devaluation of currencies, and a potential collapse of the financial system. In reality, the redistribution of such wealth could destabilize markets and lead to unforeseen consequences, including societal upheaval.

Even with $1.25 billion to your name, you’d still be far behind the wealthiest individuals on the planet. Take Elon Musk, for example. The CEO of SpaceX, whose company is launching the mission to 16 Psyche, has a net worth of approximately $313.9 billion. That’s about 250 times more than what the asteroid’s value would give each person on Earth.

NASA’s Scientific Mission

While the idea of harvesting the asteroid’s precious metals is intriguing, NASA’s primary objective in sending the spacecraft to 16 Psyche is not for resource extraction. Instead, the mission is focused on studying the asteroid’s composition to gain insights into the early history of our solar system.

Scientists believe that 16 Psyche could contain the exposed core of a planetesimal—a primordial building block of planets—offering a unique window into the violent processes that led to the formation of terrestrial planets like Earth. The spacecraft’s mission will provide valuable data on planetary cores and how they form, giving astronomers crucial information about the building blocks of planets.

A Long Wait for Discovery

Although NASA’s spacecraft won’t reach 16 Psyche until July 2029, the data it returns could offer transformative insights into planetary science. The mission is also expected to answer questions about whether the asteroid is, in fact, the core of a planetesimal, a remnant from the early solar system.

While it may be decades before humanity can contemplate extracting resources from 16 Psyche, the scientific discoveries that emerge from NASA's mission will shape our understanding of the solar system's formation for years to come. Until then, the idea of a $10 quintillion asteroid will remain a fascinating, albeit hypothetical, scenario.