NASA is preparing to send a probe to the most unusual asteroid in the solar system. Psyche-16 is a small object located in the asteroid belt. What makes it unique is its chemical composition. The fact is that this asteroid is entirely made of metal, or rather ferronickel, an alloy of iron and nickel.
“Humanity has visited rocky and icy worlds, but never metallic,” says Lindy Elkins-Tanton, Psyche mission leader. - Psyche's appearance remains a mystery. It will be a real exploration and discovery."
Psyche-16 is only 210 km in diameter. Scientists believe that this is not just an asteroid, but the metal core of a planet that collapsed many millions of years ago. Studying Psyche will allow us to learn a lot about the inner structure of the planets, including our Earth.
“The pressure in the earth's core is 3 million times higher than the air pressure. This prevents us from getting to the core of the Earth, continues Elkins-Tanton. "Psyche allows us to explore the cosmos from the inside by exploring it from the outside." In addition, the metal planet is an excellent testing ground for various methods of mining in space. Work on the surface of Psyche-16 will show the difficulties that can be faced when developing metal planets.
It is assumed that the mission "Psyche" starts in 2023, and the meeting with the asteroid will take place in 2030. The probe will spend 20 months in orbit of Psyche-16, making measurements of the magnetic field, gravity, and also collecting accurate data on the chemical composition of the metallic world.