A Post‐Launch Summary of the Science of NASA's Psyche Mission

• Published in: AGU advances Vol. 5; no. 2
• Main Authors: Dibb, Steven D., Asphaug, Erik, Bell, James F., Binzel, Richard P., Bottke, William F., Cambioni, Saverio, Christoph, John M., Elkins‐Tanton, Linda T., Jaumann, Ralf, Lawrence, David J., Oran, Rona, O’Rourke, Joseph G., Polansky, Carol, Weiss, Benjamin P., Wieczorek, Mark, Williams, David. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.04.2024; Wiley
• Subjects: Altitude; asteroid; Asteroids; Earth Sciences; Gamma rays; Meteors & meteorites; mission; objectives; Orbits; Planetology; Psyche; Science; Sciences of the Universe; Space telescopes; Spacecraft; magnetometry, and gravity measurements
• ISSN: 2576-604X; 2576-604X
• DOI: 10.1029/2023AV001077

Astronomical observations indicate that asteroid (16) Psyche is a large, high‐density (likely >3,400 kg·m−3), metal‐rich (30–55 vol. %) asteroid. Psyche may be remnant core material or it could be a primordial, undifferentiated metal‐rich object. We discuss the science objectives of the upcoming Psyche mission, which will employ three instruments (the Magnetometer, Multispectral Imager, and Gamma‐Ray and Neutron Spectrometer) and will use Doppler tracking of the spacecraft to explore the asteroid. This mission will shed light on the nature and origins of metal‐rich objects in the solar system and beyond, including the cores of the terrestrial planets. Plain Language Summary Asteroid (16) Psyche is the largest known metal‐rich asteroid and is a relic of the building blocks of the planets from the early solar system. We hypothesize that it is either an exposed metallic core of an asteroid or unmelted metal‐rich material. NASA's Psyche mission, launched in October 2023, aims to explore Psyche to understand its formation and evolution. The Psyche spacecraft carries three instruments and will use its radio antenna to study Psyche's magnetic field, surface composition, and interior structure. The Psyche mission offers a historic opportunity to study the processes that led to the formation of the metallic cores of planets. Key Points The Psyche mission will explore the solar system's largest likely metal‐rich asteroid, (16) Psyche Exploration of Psyche offers a historic opportunity to explore small body planetary differentiation and core formation The Psyche spacecraft will study Psyche using imaging, nuclear spectroscopy, magnetometry, and gravity measurements