Produced by: Manoj Kumar
NASA’s Psyche Mission targets 16 Psyche, a $10 quintillion asteroid in the asteroid belt, believed to hold secrets to planet formation and Earth’s mysterious metal core.
Credit : NASA
16 Psyche, thought to be the exposed core of a failed planet, offers a glimpse into how planets layer themselves with cores, mantles, and crusts—a process never seen so close.
Credit : NASA
Stretching 140 miles, Psyche’s surface is rich with iron and nickel—materials buried deep inside Earth. For the first time, scientists can study planetary building blocks without drilling.
Credit : NASA
The Psyche spacecraft uses solar-electric propulsion with hall thrusters to travel over 1.5 billion miles. NASA’s innovative Deep Space Optical Communication system will transmit data faster than ever before.
Credit : NASA
Armed with a magnetometer and gamma-ray spectrometer, the mission seeks remnants of Psyche’s magnetic field—proof that it was once part of a molten planetary core.
Credit : NASA
In 2026, the spacecraft will slingshot around Mars, gaining the speed and direction needed to reach 16 Psyche by 2029, saving precious time and resources.
Mission lead Lindy Elkins-Tanton wonders: Could the asteroid’s metals solve Earth’s resource scarcity or create a new era of corporate control over materials?
Nicola Fox of NASA hails Psyche as a treasure trove. The findings could rewrite planetary science and offer insights into the structure of worlds beyond Earth.
Credit : NASA
MIT’s Benjamin Weiss emphasizes: Psyche is humanity’s first visit to a metallic world, a leap forward in understanding planetary formation and our place in the cosmos.