Small-body mission · NASA / JPL / ASU

Psyche

A NASA Discovery mission to the metal-rich asteroid 16 Psyche — possibly the exposed core of a shattered protoplanet. Using solar-electric propulsion, it will orbit and map a world made largely of metal, a type never before visited.

ActiveOrbiter Mission Rendezvous Mission

This is the small-body-missions view of Psyche. See its main mission page for the full profile.

Targets & sample

Target bodies:16 Psyche

Mission & science

Goals: Orbit and study a metal-rich asteroid to learn whether it is a planetary core.
Engineering milestones: Launched October 2023; arrival at 16 Psyche planned for 2029.
Outcome: In cruise — no results yet.
Known limitations: En route; arrival is planned for 2029.

Knowledge connections

Operated byNASA
Part of programDiscovery Program
Launched byFalcon Heavy
Launched fromKennedy Space Center
Target of16 Psyche
Member of groupOrbiter Mission
Member of groupRendezvous Mission
Operated byNASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Tracked byDeep Space Network (DSN)
Associated withLaser Communication Terminal
Associated withDeep Space Optical Communications (DSOC)

Sources

Facts on this topic will be cited from these primary and reference sources.

NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.
NASA JPLJet Propulsion Laboratory / Solar System Dynamics
Orbital data, ephemerides, and small-body parameters for planets, asteroids, and comets.

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