00:00Imagine an asteroid so rich in precious metals that it could make every inhabitant of the Earth a billionaire.
00:08However, this is not science fiction, but a reality.
00:12It is 16 Psyche, a gigantic metallic celestial body in orbit between Mars and Jupiter.
00:20Its exceptional character is not only in its astronomical value, estimated at 10 trillion dollars.
00:28This asteroid also contains essential clues on the formation of rocky planets like Earth.
00:35In October 2023, NASA launched the Psyche probe to explore this cosmic treasure.
00:41It should reach the asteroid in August 2029, and astronomers hope to get valuable information.
00:48This mission could reveal not only the abundance of metals on Psyche, but also the processes that govern the formation of planets.
00:57But what makes Psyche so unique?
01:01Discovered in 1852 by an Italian astronomer, it was the 16th asteroid listed, hence its name.
01:09It stands out among the countless rocks of the asteroid belt thanks to its metallic composition.
01:16Unlike rocky or icy asteroids, Psyche seems to be mainly made of iron and nickel,
01:23with perhaps traces of gold and other rare metals.
01:27With a diameter of about 280 km, Psyche is not the largest asteroid and remains surpassed by Ceres.
01:34Its size remains nevertheless impressive.
01:37Its surface reaches 1,655,000 km², the equivalent of Florida.
01:44Astronomers estimate that up to 60% of its surface could contain precious metals.
01:50Scientists also believe that this asteroid could be the bare core of an ancient planetesimal,
01:58a protoplanet in the process of formation orbiting around a star.
02:03This celestial body could have evolved to become an entire planet
02:09if a cataclysmic collision had not destroyed it several billion years ago.
02:15If this hypothesis is confirmed, Psyche could offer us an unprecedented view of the interior of telluric planets like Earth,
02:23whose core remains buried under thick layers of crust and mantle.
02:27Do you remember this space probe sent to explore the asteroid?
02:32After leaving Earth to embark on this ambitious mission,
02:36Psyche will travel the dizzying distance of 3.5 billion km before reaching its goal.
02:42This long journey will last for nearly 6 years.
02:45In May 2026, it will pass near Mars and exploit the gravity of the red planet to launch even deeper into space.
02:54This technique, called gravitational assistance, will increase its speed and refine its trajectory towards the asteroid.
03:03When Psyche reaches it in August 2029, it will begin a long 26-month observation phase,
03:10during which it will analyze its surface, identify its composition and try to trace its history.
03:19To carry out this study, Psyche is equipped with a panoply of cutting-edge instruments.
03:24Among them, a multispectral imager will capture high-resolution clichés of the asteroid's surface,
03:30allowing scientists to examine its texture and composition.
03:35A gamma and neutron spectrometer will analyze its chemical structure and determine its metal content.
03:41A magnetometer will detect the presence of a possible magnetic field.
03:46This discovery will reinforce the hypothesis that Psyche is an ancient planetary nucleus.
03:54Finally, a super-high-frequency radio system will measure the gravitational field of the asteroid,
04:00thus providing valuable clues about its internal structure and density.
04:05NASA is not speeding up this probe to evaluate the market value of the asteroid as a mining resource, at least not yet.
04:13The main objective of the mission is above all scientific.
04:16Researchers hope to answer fundamental questions about the formation and evolution of the planets.
04:22This asteroid could help us understand how a fusion material cools down to form a planetary nucleus.
04:29Another question is, why did this asteroid fail to become a planet?
04:34Its study could shed light on the reasons why some celestial bodies evolve into planets, while others do not.
04:42Although NASA's mission is purely exploratory, it has also aroused interest in the mining exploitation of asteroids.
04:49With an estimated value of 10 trillion dollars,
04:53Psyche could, in theory, provide enough raw materials to transform the terrestrial industry.
04:59Such a business remains hypothetical and would not materialize before several decades, if it were to materialize one day.
05:07Yet, the idea intrigues.
05:09But if these metals arrived on Earth, their abundance could cause a collapse of the value of precious metals such as gold, thus disrupting global markets.
05:19Speaking of precious resources, where do gold, platinum and other rare metals from Earth come from?
05:26These so-called siderophiles have a cosmic origin just as fascinating as Psyche.
05:32They appeared during cataclysmic phenomena that occurred billions of years ago,
05:38notably during Kilonovae, collisions between neutron stars that project huge amounts of metals into space.
05:47These elements were then integrated into the gas and dust clouds that gave birth to our solar system.
05:54When the Earth was formed, most of the heavy metals migrated to its iron-rich core.
05:59However, some of them did not reach the depths of the planet.
06:03Violent impacts with errant protoplanets such as Theia, the object the size of Mars, which would have contributed to the formation of the Moon,
06:11trapped some of these elements in the terrestrial mantle.
06:15Recent computer models explain how this happened.
06:19After each major collision, the surface of the Earth temporarily transformed into a huge ocean of magma.
06:26By sinking through this sea of melting rocks, the metals reached a partially solid layer,
06:32which slowed their descent and held them in the mantle rather than in the core.
06:36Then, under the effect of thermal convection, these metals rose to the surface,
06:42where they became accessible to mining operations billions of years later.
06:46If the public's attention today focuses on the metals of Psyche,
06:50we must not forget that space contains many other treasures.
06:54Scientists have discovered, or at least theorized, the existence of precious stones scattered throughout the universe.
07:01Let's take the example of diamonds, made up of pure carbon, an omnipresent element in the cosmos.
07:07They form on Earth at very high pressure and temperature, deeply buried in the mantle.
07:13However, similar conditions can be found in space.
07:18Nano-diamonds, which are tiny crystals, have thus been identified in some meteorites.
07:24Some even contain gases that offer researchers precious clues about the history of the primitive solar system.
07:33According to some theories, it could even rain diamonds on Neptune and Uranus.
07:39On these frozen giants, the colossal pressures would be able to transform carbon into crystalline structures.
07:46In addition, studies suggest that some exoplanets, depending on their size and their distance from their star,
07:52could contain gems such as rubies or sapphires.
07:56Even our Moon has its own extraterrestrial minerals.
07:59Traces of cubic zircons have been found in lunar samples.
08:03Space could therefore hold many more treasures than we imagined.
08:07But let's go back to the Psyche mission.
08:10It could not only reveal all the potential of space resources, but also highlight the challenges related to their exploitation.
08:17For example, extracting materials from an asteroid would require autonomous robots capable of evolving in extreme environments.
08:25In addition, efficient transport systems would have to be put in place to transport these resources to Earth,
08:31or to treat them directly in orbit.
08:33It would also be crucial to ensure that these activities do not disturb the terrestrial ecosystems or the balance of space.
08:40In addition, the legal question remains a major issue.
08:44The 1967 Space Treaty forbids nations to claim the sovereignty of a celestial body.
08:51But the arrival of private companies in space exploration raises the debate on property and the sharing of resources.
08:58Finally, the massive introduction of extraterrestrial metals on Earth could disrupt global markets.
09:05This is why some experts believe that these materials should rather be exploited on site,
09:10for the construction of habitats, satellites or even spaceships.
09:16Whatever happens to the exploitation of 16 Psyches,
09:19the exploration of this asteroid will bring an unprecedented enlightenment on the formation of the solar system
09:24and the processes that shaped our planet.
09:27Since December 1, 2024, the probe continues its journey following the orbit of the Sun, heading for its target.
09:34This journey is not limited to enriching our understanding of the universe.
09:38It also pushes the limits of what is possible for humanity in its space conquest.
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