Which asteroid mission first studied a metal-rich asteroid up close?
Quick Answer
NASA’s Psyche mission is designed to explore 16 Psyche, a metal-rich asteroid, and launched in 2023. It is the first mission aimed specifically at this unusual world.
The Full Story
NASA’s Psyche mission launched in 2023 to study asteroid 16 Psyche, a large metal-rich asteroid in the main belt. The spacecraft is the first mission specifically targeted at this unusual object, which may be part of a protoplanetary core. Scientists hope it will reveal how rocky planets form and differentiate into core, mantle and crust. Psyche is expected to arrive in the second half of the 2020s after using electric propulsion and gravity assists.
Key Facts
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Suggested video title for this topic:
"A mission to what may be a planet’s exposed heart."
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