Psyche Spacecraft Embarks on Mission to Metal-Covered Asteroid
SpaceX successfully launched NASA’s Psyche spacecraft on a six-year journey to a rare metal-covered asteroid. Named after the asteroid it is chasing, Psyche aims to reach the potato-shaped object in 2029. This exploration is unprecedented as most asteroids are rocky or icy. Scientists believe that the target asteroid may be the remnants of an early planet’s core, providing valuable insights into the inaccessible centers of Earth and other rocky planets. The launch took place at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center amidst an overcast midmorning sky.
Unveiling a Metal World
According to experts, metal-rich asteroids are infrequent discoveries. Psyche is the largest among the nine known metal-rich asteroids, orbiting the sun in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Its discovery dates back to 1852, when it was named after the captivating goddess of the soul in Greek mythology. Lead scientist Lindy Elkins-Tanton from Arizona State University expressed her excitement, stating that it has long been humanity’s dream to explore the metal core of the Earth, and this asteroid offers a unique opportunity to achieve that dream.
Radar and other observations reveal that the Psyche asteroid is enormous, measuring 144 miles in width and 173 miles in length. Scientists speculate that it is enriched with iron, nickel, and other metals, along with possible presence of silicates. Its predominantly gray surface is expected to be covered with fine metal grains from cosmic impacts. As the spacecraft makes its journey of over 2 billion miles, it will uncover the mysteries concealed within this distant speck of light in the night sky.
Although scientists have visualized spiky metal craters, colossal metal cliffs, and metal-encrusted eroded lava flows tinted greenish-yellow from sulfur, there is also a high likelihood that these projections may be inaccurate, as acknowledged by Elkins-Tanton. Moreover, the asteroid may potentially contain trace amounts of iron-loving elements such as gold, silver, platinum, or iridium, dissolved within its iron and nickel composition. Elkins-Tanton’s fondest hope is that the asteroid will exceed their expectations and provide unforeseen information.
Revealing the Secrets of our Solar System
The Psyche asteroid is believed to be a building block from the solar system’s formation approximately 4.5 billion years ago. Scientists anticipate that studying this asteroid will provide essential answers to fundamental questions, including the origins of life on Earth and the factors that render our planet habitable. On Earth, the iron core generates the magnetic field that shields our atmosphere and supports life.
Arizona State University is leading the $1.2 billion mission on behalf of NASA. The spacecraft, equivalent in size to a van, is propelled by solar electric propulsion, utilizing xenon gas-fed thrusters. This innovative spacecraft is equipped with a communication system that aims to expand the flow of data from deep space to Earth using lasers instead of radio waves. NASA expects this experimental system to yield more than 10 times the current data transmission capabilities, potentially enabling future transmissions of videos from the moon or Mars.
Although the spacecraft experienced delays due to flight software testing issues, it successfully separated from the rocket’s upper stage an hour after launch. The revised schedule has extended the mission duration, postponing the arrival at the asteroid to 2029, which coincides with the timeframe when another NASA spacecraft will reach a different space rock as it passes near Earth.