NASA will send a mission to a metal asteroid

As of October 12, 17:16 Moscow time (14:16 UTC) planned launch of NASA’s mission to study the asteroid Psyche (16 Psyche). It is expected that the interplanetary space station with scientific equipment on board will reach Mars in 2026 and, using a gravitational maneuver, will be able to reach the calculated trajectory for approaching the asteroid. Entry into orbit is scheduled for 2029. The period of active work will last about two years.

The Psyche asteroid is a large cosmic body (about 225 km in diameter) located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It is unique in that it is not made of rock and ice, like most other asteroids, but of metal. In particular, radar studies showed high levels of iron and nickel. Scientists suggest that perhaps the asteroid is part of the metal core of an unformed planet. If this hypothesis is confirmed, its study could provide valuable information for understanding the processes that formed the basis for the formation of the Earth and other objects in the solar system.

During missions NASA also plans to test new developments. In particular, innovative technology for laser space communications (Deep Space Optical Communications, DSOC) will be tested, which will provide 10–100 times higher data transfer rates compared to modern radio systems. Also, for the first time, solar electric engines will be used for flight in deep space.