NASA and SpaceX are targeting an October 12 lift-off for the Psyche mission, which will launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and will be carried into space aboard a Falcon Heavy rocket. The main goal of the Psyche mission is to conduct a comprehensive study of the unique metal-rich asteroid, also named Psyche, which is orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter.
What happens after the launch
The Psyche spacecraft will begin its six-year-long journey into space after lifting off on a Falcon Heavy rocket and separating from the launch vehicle. This mission will cover over 2.2 billion miles (3.6 billion km). The Psyche spacecraft will use solar electric propulsion for the duration of its extensive mission in order to arrive at the asteroid in 2029.
Mission objectives
The Psyche spacecraft, after it arrives at its destination, will spend 26 months studying and analysing the Psyche asteroid. The tasks of the mission include image capture, surface mapping, data collection to assess the chemical composition, and conducting research to understand the formation process of planets.
According to NASA, the origins of the Psyche asteroid remain a mystery to scientists, making the mission a crucial effort to uncover its secrets. This mission offers an opportunity to delve into the specifics of the asteroid, including its topography characteristics.
Scientists at NASA speculate that the Psyche asteroid could be part of the metal-rich interior of planetesimal, a building block of a rocky planet. Alternatively, it might belong to a category of celestial objects that has never been observed before. Furthermore, the space agency said the asteroid "is most likely a survivor of multiple violent hit-and-run collisions, common when the solar system was forming". Thus, Psyche mission, the first such to a metal-rich asteroid, may be able to tell the world "how rocky planets like our own Earth formed, what makes up Earth’s core, how Earth’s core and the cores of the other rocky planets came to be."
Additionally, NASA has revealed that, based on indications suggesting that Psyche once possessed a magnetic field, a hardware instrument onboard the spacecraft will look for the evidence.
Also read: NASA to reveal Bennu asteroid samples globally on October 11
Furthermore, the Psyche spacecraft will carry the Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) technology demonstration, which represents a ground-breaking venture in testing high-bandwidth optical communications in the depths of space, a milestone never before achieved.
"DSOC will send test data to and from Earth using an invisible near-infrared laser, which has much higher bandwidth than radio wave systems currently used on spacecraft," NASA elaborated.
The telecommunications system intended primarily to send data and receive commands will also be used to conduct gravity science. Scientists can determine the asteroid’s rotation, wobble, mass, and gravity field, the space agency said.
Scientists' knowledge about asteroid Psyche: An overview
The consensus among scientists, as reported on NASA's website, is that the giant asteroid Psyche is a potato-shaped rock made primarily of metal. It is reported by the space agency that in telescopes, the asteroid is only visible to scientists as a small dot of light. It measures roughly 144 miles (232 kms) in length and 140 miles (226 kms) in width. NASA emphasizes that the asteroid's true appearance will not be known until the Psyche mission provides a close-up view of it.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
Find the best of Al News in one place, specially curated for you every weekend.
Stay on top of the latest tech trends and biggest startup news.