A Post-Launch Summary of the Science of NASA's Psyche Mission

Abstract

Astronomical observations indicate that asteroid (16) Psyche is a large, high-density (likely >3,400 kg·m−3), metal-rich (30–55 vol. %) asteroid. Psyche may be remnant core material or it could be a primordial, undifferentiated metal-rich object. We discuss the science objectives of the upcoming Psyche mission, which will employ three instruments (the Magnetometer, Multispectral Imager, and Gamma-Ray and Neutron Spectrometer) and will use Doppler tracking of the spacecraft to explore the asteroid. This mission will shed light on the nature and origins of metal-rich objects in the solar system and beyond, including the cores of the terrestrial planets.