Exploration target The largest metallic asteroid in the solar system
After the Psyche had separated from the last part of the rocket, The craft spent about an hour unfolding its solar panels. Until the length of the craft is equal to the length of a tennis court.
Psyche is also the first NASA solar system probe to be equipped with an electric propulsion system. Made from solar panels
Psyche was originally scheduled to launch in October 2022, but NASA delayed plans due to problems with the spacecraft’s software. Therefore, the rocket launch date was postponed to October 5, 2023, and there was a problem with the heat control system in the craft’s cold gas engine. Until it was postponed to October 12, but because of unfavorable weather conditions Therefore, the rocket launch schedule had to be postponed to the next day.
The Psyche spacecraft aims to explore “Asteroid Psyche” (official name: 16 Psyche), which is the largest metallic asteroid in the solar system, measures approximately 278 x 232 x 164 kilometers. Scientists do not know much about this asteroid. But the surface of this asteroid was found to be made up mostly of iron and nickel. And scientists speculate that this metallic asteroid was once the “core” of material that would eventually form planets. (protoplanet) Scientists hope that closer study of the asteroid Psyche will provide a better understanding of planet formation and evolution.
