Revealing Psyche: NASA's Mission to Illuminate the Mysteries of a Metallic World | NASA TECHNOLOGY |

The primary objective of the NASA Psyche mission is to study the asteroid 16 Psyche, a unique and intriguing object that presents an opportunity to learn more about the building blocks of planet formation. Unlike most asteroids, which are rocky or icy bodies, Psyche is believed to be composed largely of metal, specifically iron and nickel. This makes Psyche a rare window into the metallic cores of planetesimals that existed in the early solar system.an asteroid that offers a unique window into the building blocks of planet formation. The NASA Psyche mission launches in 2023 and will arrive at the asteroid Psyche, which orbits the Sun between Mars and Jupiter, in 2026. The spacecraft, also named Psyche, will spend 21 months orbiting the asteroid, mapping it and studying its properties. The mission is led by Principal Investigator Lindy Elkins-Tanton of Arizona State University. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is responsible for the mission’s overall management, system engineering, integration and test, and mission operations.