NASA embarks on epic voyage to investigate Psyche: rare asteroid 2 bn miles from Earth

NASA has embarked on a groundbreaking mission to explore an exceptionally rare metal-covered asteroid known as Psyche, situated an astounding 2 bn miles (3.6 bn kilometers) away from Earth. This mission, which involves a six-year journey through space, seeks to unlock the mysteries of the metallic asteroid and provide valuable insights into the formation of our planet and its habitability.

Psyche, named after the captivating goddess of the soul in Greek mythology, is a unique celestial body. Unlike most asteroids, which are predominantly rocky or icy, Psyche is composed primarily of metal. This enigmatic asteroid is believed to hold the key to understanding the processes that led to Earth's formation.

Lead scientist Lindy Elkins-Tanton, from Arizona State University, expressed the significance of this mission: 

"It's long been humans' dream to go to the metal core of our Earth. I mean, ask [author] Jules Verne. The pressure is too high. The temperature is too high. The technology is impossible. But there's one way in our solar system that we can look at a metal core, and that is by going to this asteroid."

Psyche, resembling a potato in shape, boasts dimensions of approximately 144 miles by 173 miles (232 kilometers by 280 kilometers) at its widest points and a substantial mass of about 440 bn pounds. It is a colossal celestial body, far outstripping the size of the spacecraft sent to explore it, with solar panels large enough to cover a tennis court.

The spacecraft itself, also named Psyche, was launched into space atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. Positioned between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, the asteroid is believed to be brimming with iron, nickel, and other metals, possibly accompanied by silicates. Its surface likely appears dull grey, attributed to the presence of fine metal grains from cosmic impacts.

NASA's mission envisions exploring Psyche for distinctive features such as spiky craters, colossal metal cliffs, and metal-encrusted lava flows that might exhibit greenish-yellow hues due to sulfur content. However, Elkins-Tanton acknowledged the uncertainty of these expectations, stating;

"There's a very good chance that it's going to be outside of our imaginings, and that is my fondest hope."

The Psyche asteroid, believed to be a planetary building block from the solar system's formation 4.5 bn years ago, carries the potential to provide insights into fundamental questions regarding the origin of life on Earth and the factors that make our planet habitable.

Leading the mission on behalf of NASA, Arizona State University has allocated a budget of $1.2bn to this ambitious endeavor. The mission timeline involves a gravity boost maneuver near Mars in 2026, followed by an attempt to go into orbit around the asteroid itself three years later. The spacecraft will circle Psyche at a distance ranging from 47 to 440 miles (75 to 700 kilometers), with the mission extending until at least 2031. This mission represents a crucial step in unraveling the mysteries of our solar system's early history and the formation of terrestrial planets like Earth.

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