NASA prepares to launch Psyche mission to study metal-rich asteroid
NASA is preparing for the Psyche mission, which will study a metal-rich asteroid, reports Engadget.
We are talking about the asteroid 16 Psyche, which consists mainly of iron and nickel. It is believed that it was once part of the planet’s core. But there is another theory – the asteroid may be a remnant of another type of object that was formed from metal-rich material somewhere in the solar system.
The launch of the NASA mission is scheduled for October 12. The spacecraft will launch from the John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. The live broadcast of the launch will be available here:
The Psyche spacecraft is scheduled to reach the asteroid in July 2029. It will study the object for about two years. During this time, it will take photographs and collect data that will allow us to better understand the structure of 16 Psyche.
Earlier, NASA planned to launch this mission last year. In this case, the spacecraft could reach the asteroid as early as 2026.