NASAPsyche - Metal World Mission - 2023-157A
Psyche
Journey to a metal-rich asteroid between Mars and Jupiter
PHASE 01
Launch (Falcon Heavy)
Oct 13, 2023 ✓
PHASE 02
Mars gravity assist
May 2026
PHASE 03
Asteroid approach
2029
PHASE 04
Orbit insertion
Aug 2029
PHASE 05
Science operations
2029-2031
- Telemetry
Psyche at a glance.
Arrival
Aug 2029
Propulsion
Ion (SEP)
Asteroid diameter
140mi
Status
Cruise
- Status
Heading for a world made of metal.
Psyche launched on October 13, 2023 and is cruising toward asteroid 16 Psyche, a unique metal-rich body in the main asteroid belt that may be the exposed core of an early planetesimal. Using solar electric propulsion, the spacecraft will arrive in August 2029 and spend 26 months studying the asteroid's composition, magnetic field, and geology to understand the building blocks of planet formation.
- Sources