Image Credit: science.NASA.gov
Discovery and Value:
Image Credit: NASA
16 Psyche, discovered in 1852, is estimated to be worth $10 quintillion due to its metal content, including gold, iron, and nickel.
Mission Launch:
Image Credit: NASA
NASA launched its spacecraft towards 16 Psyche on October 13, 2023, from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida using a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.
Mission Objective:
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The primary goal of the mission is scientific exploration rather than resource extraction, aiming to study planetary cores and planetary formation processes.
Asteroid Composition:
Image Credit: NASA
16 Psyche is located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter and is believed to be primarily composed of rock and metal.
Spacecraft Details:
Image Credit: NASA
The spacecraft, about the size of a singles tennis court with two five-panel solar arrays, will travel approximately 2.2 billion miles to reach 16 Psyche.
Technological Innovations:
Image Credit: NASA
NASA has invested $1.2 billion, including funds for launch services and the Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) technology.
Timeline and Milestones :
Image Credit: NASA
Expected to reach 16 Psyche by July 2029, using Mars' gravity in May 2026 for a velocity boost.
Scientific Significance:
Image Credit: NASA
Studying 16 Psyche could provide crucial insights into the early history of our solar system and the processes that formed terrestrial planets like Earth.
Historical Context:
Image Credit: Wikipedia
Named after Psyche, the Greek goddess symbolizing the soul, it's the 16th asteroid discovered.
Future Implications :
Image Credit: NASA
Success could lead to missions to explore and utilize resources from other metal-rich asteroids.