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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Aug. 14 (UPI) — Preparations are underway for the upcoming October launch of a NASA orbiter utilizing cutting-edge electric propulsion technology to rendezvous with 16 Psyche, an iron-dominated asteroid believed to be the core of a destroyed planet.
The $985 million mission, named after its destination, seeks to shed light on the formation of the 140-mile-wide asteroid, which is located between 235 million and 309 million miles away.
The Psyche spacecraft, measuring 10 feet by 8 feet, is set to lift off on Oct. 5 aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This launch will propel the probe to the necessary speed to escape Earth and the sun’s gravitational pull.
Once on its way, the advanced space probe will use one of its four Hall-effect thrusters, utilizing ion propulsion technology that employs solar electrical power to generate electromagnetic fields for charged xenon gas.
This process involves converting xenon gas to xenon ions using electricity from solar panels, resulting in a very low thrust. The engines will operate one at a time for a duration of two years.
The original launch date for the Psyche mission was October 2022, but it was delayed due to flight software issues. The software has since been installed and successfully tested on Psyche’s systems.
JPL manages mission
Under the leadership of Arizona State University, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., is responsible for mission management, operations, and navigation.
The solar-electric propulsion chassis of the spacecraft was constructed by Maxar and includes an imager, magnetometer, and gamma-ray spectrometer as part of its payload.
During the mission, Psyche will collect topographical and chemical composition data, with a particular focus on detecting the presence of a magnetic field. Scientists believe that Psyche may still possess one.
The primary objective of the mission is to determine how planets like Earth may have formed through countless collisions and accumulation of primordial matter over time.
NASA officials expressed their excitement about the potential of the Psyche mission, showcasing the spacecraft at the Astrotech Space Operations Facility in Titusville, Florida.
Scientists took the opportunity to explain the significance of the mission to the general public.
“The planets were all formed very quickly in a chaotic period, and we are unable to directly study the core of the Earth,” said JPL’s Henry Stone, manager of the systems engineering section. “Finding a body like 16 Psyche that is still in its primeval conditions can validate scientific hypotheses about the birth of our solar system.”
16 Psyche, named after the Greek god Psyche, was discovered on March 17, 1852, by Italian astronomer Annibale de Gasparis. For decades, dynamic models and hypotheses have suggested that one or two planetoid cores separated from their rocky mantels during the creation of the solar system, similar to what Psyche experienced.
Validating the model
“If we determine that this was the case, we can conclude that the theoretical model of the early solar system is now validated,” Stone said. “Having a magnetic core and a magnetic field is what enables life on Earth.”
However, this research goes beyond cosmological understanding, according to Lindy Elkins-Tanton, Psyche’s principal investigator from the School of Earth and Space Exploration at Arizona State University.
“By examining Psyche, we can study the original material in its original state, which contributes to the formation of Earth,” Elkins-Tanton said. “We have some knowledge of Earth’s core composition through remote sensing, and we expect Psyche’s composition to be slightly different.”
“Understanding the transition from a planetoid like Psyche to a planet like Earth will provide important insights into the process of creating habitable worlds,” she added.
Once in the vicinity of Mars, Psyche will utilize a gravity assist maneuver to propel itself towards the asteroid belt, located halfway between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. It is expected to reach 16 Psyche in August 2029.
The spacecraft will enter orbit around 16 Psyche, maintaining a distance of 435 miles above the surface. During this initial phase, it will spend two months mapping the asteroid’s surface and searching for signs of a magnetic field.
Determining the size
At this stage, the mission will be crucial in determining the size of the asteroid, which has been described as an asymmetric potato. Gradually, Psyche will lower its orbit to 180 miles from the surface, conducting topography observations and searching for any remnants of a magnetic field.
The spacecraft will descend to 110 miles from the surface for gravitational studies. Finally, it will reach its final orbit, approximately 53 miles from the surface, to analyze the asteroid’s chemical composition using gamma-ray and neutron spectrometers, capture images and gravity readings, and continue the search for magnetic fields.
The entire mission, including orbiting 16 Psyche, is expected to last 21 months.
As part of the mission, an experiment will test advanced laser-based communications techniques. Known as Deep Space Optical Communications, this equipment will carry vast amounts of information.
This innovative technology is vital for future human exploration missions to Mars, as it enables high-resolution data transmission. With faster laser beam communications, virtual presence in outer space can be achieved, similar to the evolution of internet speed from dial-up modems to high-speed connections.
“We want to have virtual presence in outer space, and to achieve that, we need faster, laser beam communications,” said Abhijit Biswas, the DSOC Program system engineer at JPL. “This technology will support future science missions.”
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