NASA Psyche Mission - Charting a Metallic World

Have you ever wondered what lies inside the core of a planet? How did the planets form and evolve over time? What can we learn from the ancient remnants of our solar system? These are some of the questions that NASA’s Psyche mission aims to answer by exploring a unique and mysterious world: the metal asteroid Psyche.

Psyche is an asteroid that orbits the Sun between Mars and Jupiter, and it is unlike any other asteroid we know. It is made mostly of iron and nickel, similar to the Earth’s core, and it may be the exposed core of an early planet that lost its rocky mantle due to violent collisions billions of years ago. By studying Psyche, we can gain insight into the origin and evolution of our own planet and other rocky worlds.

NASA’s Psyche mission will launch in 2022 and arrive at the asteroid in 2026. The spacecraft, also named Psyche, will spend 21 months orbiting the asteroid, mapping its surface, measuring its magnetic field, and analyzing its composition. The mission is led by Principal Investigator Lindy Elkins-Tanton of Arizona State University, and it involves a team of scientists and engineers from NASA, JPL, Maxar Technologies, and other institutions.

Join us on this exciting journey to chart a metallic world that has never been seen before. Watch the video NASA Psyche Mission: Charting a Metallic World to learn more about the mission’s goals, challenges, and discoveries.