Here’s the gist of what’s happening with a prayer…

NASA is zooming in on the heavy metal scene, but we're not talking about Ozzy Osbourne; we're talking about asteroid Psyche—an estimated $10,000 quadrillion-dollar rock that could dwarf Earth's economy if it were mined. Led by Arizona State University's Lindy Elkins-Tanton, the Psyche mission aims to study this metallic wonder, which might be a planetary core left over from the solar system's early days. Though towing this celestial ATM back to Earth is currently off the table, Psyche could serve as a cosmic lab rat for future space mining projects. Amid terrestrial discord, the mission serves as a cosmic reminder that the thirst for knowledge can unite us, just as surely as looking at the stars makes everyone feel simultaneously tiny and in awe.

Lord, as we venture into Your celestial tapestry, remind us that the heavens are a testament to Your glory and an invitation to unity. May the awe we feel looking at the stars inspire us to seek common ground here on Earth. Grant wisdom to those advancing our understanding of the universe, and let their work serve as a reminder that, while we may be divided in worldly matters, we all share the gift of wonderment and curiosity. Amen.

NASA’s Galactic Gold Rush
The Quest for a Metallic Asteroid

"The final frontier" takes on a new luster as NASA shifts its telescopic lens from the poetic sprawl of nebulae to the more pragmatic vista of heavy metal—not the head-banging, guitar-strumming kind, but the nickel and iron that form the building blocks of planetary cores. On a journey six years in the making, NASA’s Psyche mission, helmed by Arizona State University’s Lindy Elkins-Tanton, plans to examine an asteroid also named Psyche. It's not just any rock; it's a metallic marvel estimated to be worth around $10,000 quadrillion if it were somehow dragged back to Earth and sold on the metals market. Well, that's one way to reduce the national debt.

In a cosmic financial market where rock beats paper, this kind of asteroid stands out among its stony peers. Contrary to most heavenly bodies visited by astronauts or robotic spacecraft, which are made of rock, ice, or a frosty combination of the two, Psyche’s dense form—nearly the size of Massachusetts—is about 60% metal. Such a composition makes Psyche an invaluable time capsule from our solar system's infancy.

The mission's underpinnings go beyond the allure of galactic bling. Planetary scientists suggest Psyche might be the exposed nickel-iron core of a planetesimal, or "baby planet," that had a short-lived career in the celestial forming business. Think of it as the breadcrumb trail leading back to the birth of Earth and its rocky neighbors. With no way of physically venturing to the Earth's core or time traveling to the dawn of the solar system, exploring this unique asteroid gives us an unprecedented glimpse into planetary evolution. Jules Verne's journey to the center of the Earth remains a tale of fiction, but Psyche offers a scientific alternative.

The spacecraft, approximately the size of a tennis court with its solar arrays fully deployed, rocketed into space atop a Falcon Heavy from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Once in the asteroid's orbit, it will serve as a high-tech prospector for at least two years, mapping Psyche's terrain, examining its internal density, and hunting for traces of magnetic fields.

According to Elkins-Tanton, while the $10,000 quadrillion figure she calculated in 2017 sounds tantalizing, the reality is that Psyche isn't a candidate for mining. For one thing, the technology to tow a Massachusetts-sized asteroid from between Mars and Jupiter back to Earth's neighborhood doesn't yet exist. Second, its worth is purely hypothetical since introducing such an amount of metal to the Earth's market would certainly plunge prices.

Instead, Psyche may serve as the celestial equivalent of a laboratory mouse, its findings informing future mining of smaller, more accessible "mini-Psyches" with similar metal-rich composition. Jim Bell, the mission’s former deputy principal investigator, argues that such spaceborne resources could make non-Earth settlements more sustainable in the long run.

Reflection:
As the U.S. grapples with internal divisions, whether it's political schisms within the Republican Party or ideological rifts among Democrats, space missions like Psyche offer a lofty (pun intended) reminder of the common quest for knowledge that unites us. In a time of great divisiveness, projects that advance human understanding are testaments to unity. No matter what our differences may be or where we stand on this earth God has created, we all have one thing in common: at some point, we have looked up at the stars set firmly in the sky and felt small. That sense of smallness is a part of the human experience. It’s a sliver of what it means to stand in the presence of God, who is more candescent than the stars and more vast than the expanse of the universe.

Psalm 19:1 says, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands." As our spacecraft venture into the divine tapestry of the cosmos, let's remember that these heavenly bodies were set in place by an omnipotent Creator. While politics and worldly matters may divide us, the grandeur of the universe, reflected in missions like Psyche, serves as a heavenly reminder that we share this tiny blue dot, hanging in a sky full of God's handiwork.

So whether you're a Democrat, a Republican, or just an interested Earthling, perhaps it's time to unite in wonderment at the grandiosity of what lies beyond our terrestrial sphere. After all, exploring the heavens might just bring us closer together down here on Earth.

Thank you for joining us today on PRAY NEWS. It is our aim to be informed and transformed. We pray today you will proceed with hope, love, and determination to be a force for good.