NASA is on the verge of launching its Psyche spacecraft, which is set to embark on a historic mission focused on the close-up study of a metal-rich asteroid. The Psyche mission is scheduled to lift off on Thursday, October 12, 2023, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It will be launched atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket at 10:16 a.m. EDT (14:16 GMT). The spacecraft is set to travel approximately 2.2 billion miles (3.5 billion kilometers) to reach its destination, the asteroid 16 Psyche, which is situated at the far reaches of the primary asteroid belt that lies between Mars and Jupiter. The mission will enter orbit around the asteroid in 2029.
Once the Psyche spacecraft reaches its destination, scientists will embark on an extraordinary study of the metal-rich asteroid. This celestial body, composed predominantly of metal, presents a unique opportunity to explore celestial objects that differ significantly from the more common, rock- and ice-dominated bodies that have been studied extensively in the past. The research aims to shed light on the processes responsible for the formation of the rocky planets in our solar system, such as Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars.
Asteroid Psyche, which was discovered in 1852, is an exceptionally intriguing celestial body found within the main asteroid belt. This unique object is believed to represent the exposed core of a planetesimal, a small body that originated during the formation of planets when dust and gas surrounding a star collapsed into denser patches. While planetesimals like Psyche could have continued to accumulate mass and eventually become full-fledged planets, this particular one is thought to have fallen short of planetary status due to collisions with larger celestial bodies during the early stages of the solar system’s development. These collisions likely stripped the metal-rich asteroid of its outer rocky layers, revealing its iron-rich core.
Studying asteroid Psyche, which measures 173 miles in width (279 km) and has a distinctive potato-like shape, has the potential to provide valuable insights into the tumultuous early period of the solar system’s existence. It can reveal more about the nature of the numerous collisions that shaped the solar system billions of years ago and even serve as a proxy for our own planet’s inaccessible iron core.
One striking feature of asteroid Psyche is its divergence from the rocky planets of the inner solar system, which are characterized by the presence of iron oxides—a group of chemical compounds consisting of iron and oxygen atoms. In contrast, Psyche lacks these iron oxide compounds. This divergence suggests that the processes involved in the formation of Psyche and similar celestial bodies may differ from those responsible for the creation of terrestrial planets like Earth.
The Psyche mission is distinguished by its remarkable propulsion system. To reach the distant asteroid and remain in orbit around it, the spacecraft relies on a solar electric propulsion system. This system captures sunlight through its extensive solar arrays and converts it into electric and magnetic fields. These fields then propel ionized xenon atoms, commonly used in plasma televisions on Earth, into space. As a result, the spacecraft gains propulsion that might appear to be a product of science fiction.
Each of the four “Hall-effect thrusters” on the spacecraft operates individually, generating thrust equivalent to the weight of three quarters held in one’s hand on Earth. In space’s microgravity and frictionless environment, this level of thrust is sufficient to move the spacecraft. Even with these innovative thrusters, the journey to reach the vicinity of Jupiter won’t be a straightforward trajectory. Instead, it will involve a gravity-assisted slingshot maneuver around Mars in 2026. Psyche will ultimately arrive at the metal-rich asteroid in August 2029.
Upon reaching its destination, Psyche will enter orbit around the asteroid, initially at a distance of approximately 430 miles (700 km). Over time, the spacecraft will move progressively closer to the asteroid, reaching different orbital “regimes” with each stage. The mission consists of several of these regimes.
The first orbital regime, known as Regime A, will last 56 days, during which the spacecraft’s magnetometer will search for signs of an ancient magnetic field on the asteroid. Such evidence could indicate that Psyche was once a planetary body. Simultaneously, the multispectral imager will examine the surface topography of the asteroid. This phase will continue as the spacecraft moves closer to the asteroid during the subsequent orbital regimes, B1 and B2, each lasting 192 days.
As Psyche draws even nearer to the asteroid, the spacecraft will enter a 100-day orbital regime referred to as Regime C. During this phase, the telecommunications system will be used to investigate the gravitational effects of the metal-rich asteroid. This research will provide valuable data on the asteroid’s mass, density, interior composition, and structure.
Subsequently, in the 100-day orbital regime D, Psyche will utilize its gamma-ray neutron spectrometer to gain a better understanding of the asteroid’s surface topography and investigate the abundance of chemical elements present on its surface.
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