NASA’s long-awaited Psyche mission to study a metallic asteroid is finally set to launch in October, following numerous delays. The mission, which aims to provide insights into the cores of terrestrial planets and solar system formation, will be launched on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from the Kennedy Space Center.
Preparations for the launch have been progressing smoothly, with the spacecraft fully fueled and ready to be integrated with the launch vehicle. However, there is a potential hurdle on the horizon. If Congress fails to pass a continuing resolution to fund the government after September 30, it could result in a partial government shutdown that would impact ongoing NASA missions, including Psyche. In light of this, NASA’s planetary science division director, Lori Glaze, has stated that they will seek an exception to allow the mission to proceed.
Initially scheduled for launch in August last year, the mission has faced setbacks due to delays in testing the spacecraft’s software. As a result, the overall cost of the mission has increased from $996.4 million to $1.2 billion. Furthermore, Psyche’s arrival at the asteroid will now be delayed until 2029.
Upon reaching its destination, the spacecraft will spend over two years studying the metallic asteroid, providing invaluable data on the cores of terrestrial planets and the formation of our solar system. The mission has gained significant attention due to earlier reports that the asteroid was valued at an astronomical $10,000 quadrillion. However, the mission’s principal investigator, Lindy Elkins-Tanton, has clarified that this valuation is false and based on inaccurate calculations.
Despite the intriguing potential value of the asteroid’s metals, bringing it back to Earth is currently beyond our technological capabilities. Even if it were possible, flooding the markets with such a vast quantity of these metals would drastically reduce their worth to essentially zero.
NASA is hopeful that the Psyche mission will proceed as planned, allowing scientists to uncover fascinating insights into the composition of a metallic asteroid and shedding light on the mysteries of our solar system.
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