No. The headline refers to asteroid 16 Psyche, which orbits the Sun in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter—not Earth. The often-repeated $10,000 quadrillion figure is a theoretical estimate for the value of materials, not a verified inventory of gold or a realistic sale price.
Where is 16 Psyche?
16 Psyche is in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, orbiting the Sun. It is not a satellite of Earth or a near-Earth object. NASA’s mission overview identifies the asteroid’s location and describes a spacecraft mission to study it.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory says Psyche is irregular in shape and about 280 kilometers (173 miles) across at its widest point. JPL’s quick facts estimate that metal makes up 30% to 60% of its volume. That is an estimate of metal, not a measurement of gold.
What does the $10,000 quadrillion figure mean?
HowStuffWorks reported in 2026 that Psyche principal investigator Lindy Elkins-Tanton developed the widely repeated $10,000 quadrillion estimate in 2017 by applying market prices to the asteroid’s presumed materials. It is a theoretical gross-material calculation, not an official NASA valuation, a confirmed amount of gold, or a forecast of money anyone could earn. HowStuffWorks explains the estimate and its origin.
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The calculation does not show that the assumed quantities are present, that they could be extracted, or that they could be transported and sold at the prices used. The same report notes that iron dominates typical metal meteorites and gold is among their trace elements; that general description is not a direct assay of Psyche.
Is Psyche made of gold?
That has not been established. NASA describes Psyche as metal-rich and says it may be part or all of the iron-rich core of a planetesimal. JPL characterizes it as likely a mixture of rock and metal, with the estimated metal fraction stated by volume. Neither description establishes a gold content or supports calling the asteroid solid gold.
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The distinction matters: “metal-rich” is a scientific description, while “worth $10,000 quadrillion in gold” implies both a confirmed gold inventory and a realizable market value. The available figures support neither implication.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is NASA’s Psyche mission doing?
NASA’s spacecraft launched on October 13, 2023. The agency’s mission overview lists August 2029 as the expected start of the prime mission at the asteroid; that is a published schedule projection, not a guarantee. The mission is designed to investigate Psyche’s composition and help scientists understand how planets formed. NASA’s overview describes its objectives and schedule.
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At the target, the spacecraft is planned to spend about two years orbiting Psyche, taking images, mapping its surface, and collecting composition data, according to JPL’s mission description. Those observations will help test current ideas about what the asteroid is made of; they are not a step toward mining it. NASA’s launch announcement explicitly describes the mission as studying the metal world, not extracting its materials: NASA’s October 2023 release.
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Why the headline is misleading
- “Orbiting Earth” is incorrect: Psyche orbits the Sun in the main asteroid belt.
- “Worth” overstates the number: $10,000 quadrillion is a theoretical materials valuation based on market prices, not a sale price or practical recoverable value.
- “Gold” is unverified: NASA and JPL describe a metal-rich asteroid and estimated metal fraction, not a confirmed gold inventory.
- NASA is studying Psyche: the mission’s purpose is scientific investigation, not mining.
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