NASA launched a spacecraft Friday that is headed to an asteroid called Psyche. This mission is historic because it is the first time NASA is exploring an asteroid that is mainly made of metal.
Psyche is a point of interest for scientist because of its metal consistency that is similar to the Earth’s core. The data collected on this mission will help scientist better understand the core of the Earth, a task that is impossible to do because of extreme temperatures and pressure beyond 6 miles below the Earth surface.
After a successful launch the spacecraft should reach Psyche in the summer of 2029, where it will orbit for two years collecting data. During the mission the spacecraft’s tools will capture pictures of the surface, gather information on the asteroid’s electromagnetic field and use lasers to send communication from deep space.
This exploration is exciting for Sabine Stanley, an Earth and planetary sciences professor at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.
“It is so exciting, every time we send a spacecraft somewhere in the solar system we learn so many things that we basically have to re-write the textbooks ” Stanley said.
Stanley is sharing her knowledge in her book ‘What’s Hidden Inside Planets?’ on Nov. 14. Stanley hopes to highlight all the processes that are going on miles below Earth’s surface and other planets. She told KPRC 2 that she uses family and food analogies to break down the complexities of planetary science.
