NASA Prepares to Send Psyche Spacecraft on a Milestone Journey to 16 Psyche Asteroid
On October 12th, NASA is set to embark on an extraordinary mission by launching the high-tech spacecraft Psyche on a 2.2 billion mile journey to explore an intriguing asteroid called 16 Psyche. The asteroid, named after the ancient Greek goddess of the soul, is believed to be not just a typical space rock but potentially the iron core of a former planet. This core bears similarities to Earth’s own core, making it a gateway to understanding our own planet’s center.
The primary objective of the Psyche mission is to study the metal-rich asteroid in great detail. However, scientists are already employing other mechanisms to study the 140-mile-wide space rock before the mission’s arrival in 2029. Recently, a team from the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) announced significant findings about 16 Psyche using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and the retired Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA).
Infrared instruments, like those used in this study, allow scientists to observe the invisible infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum, providing access to hidden aspects of the universe. The findings from these tools have already rendered intriguing results, suggesting that 16 Psyche is unlike anything observed before.
Anicia Arredondo, a postdoctoral researcher at SwRI and the first author of the study, explained, “All of the observations using different techniques keep showing us results that don’t make sense in context with each other… That’s why it’s so important that we have a mission going there now.”
The team used SOFIA to scan 16 Psyche in the infrared range while the asteroid rotated. Despite SOFIA’s limited capabilities due to its discontinued operations in 2022, the telescope gathered vital information aiding in the determination of whether Psyche is a remnant core of a differentiated asteroid or a protoplanet. The data suggested that 16 Psyche is predominantly metal with minimal variation during rotation.
The JWST helped determine the presence of water on the asteroid by analyzing wavelengths associated with hydroxyl and water molecules. Stephanie Jarmack, a research scientist at SwRI, stated, “If we don’t find it… that wouldn’t be surprising, considering Psyche is thought to be a mostly metallic world.” However, concrete conclusions will only be possible when Psyche arrives at the 16 Psyche asteroid in 2029 and deploys its own array of technologies designed to study the enigmatic space rock up close.
The Psyche spacecraft, weighing over 6,000 pounds, will carry advanced instruments to aid in its exploration. These include a multispectral imager, a gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer, and a magnetometer, all designed to capture detailed photographs, analyze chemical composition, and look for evidence of an ancient magnetic field on the asteroid’s surface.
Maggie McAdam, a NASA Ames research scientist and the principal investigator of the study, emphasized the necessity of physically visiting Psyche to unravel its mysteries and gain a deeper understanding of this unique planetary body. With the mission set to begin soon, the scientific community eagerly anticipates the groundbreaking discoveries that await on this historic voyage to the enigmatic 16 Psyche asteroid.