Last year in June, we shared the news about NASA postponing its launch of a rover toward the metal-rich asteroid known as 16 Psyche. Gladly, the American space agency reconsidered its decision, and a new release window is now known!
NASA sure has plenty of space where it could land astronauts, considering the gigantic sizes of the Psyche asteroid. The space rock is even a lot larger than the one that killed the dinosaurs long ago. The asteroid 16 Psyche is estimated to have a diameter of about 140 miles (226 kilometers), making it one of the largest asteroids in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It is considered to be a massive metallic asteroid made mostly of iron and nickel. The asteroid is thought to be the exposed core of an early planet, which lost its rocky outer layer due to a collision or other event.
NASA will launch a rover to 16 Psyche in October
NASA’s plan to launch a rover to the 16 Psyche asteroid has been rescheduled for this year in October, as a statement from the space agency’s website claims, and as Universe Today spotted.
Laurie Leshin, the JPL Director, stated:
I’m extremely proud of the Psyche team,
During this review, they have demonstrated significant progress already made toward the future launch date. I am confident in the plan moving forward and excited by the unique and important science this mission will return.
It is believed that the asteroid 16 Psyche may contain a significant amount of valuable metals such as gold, platinum, and other valuable materials. The composition of the asteroid is thought to be mostly made up of iron and nickel, but it’s also thought to contain small amounts of other metals, including gold. However, it’s worth mentioning that these are only estimations, and the exact composition of the asteroid is not yet known as no spacecraft has landed on it yet.
