2023-10-14 07:36:31
On Friday, the US Space Agency (NASA) launched a mission to the distant asteroid Psyche, which has not been studied until today and has a metallic composition, which scientists believe may be the nucleus of an ancient astronomical body. The “Psyche” probe was launched as expected at 10:19 am local time (14:19 GMT) from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, by a “Falcon Heavy” rocket created by SpaceX. One of the commentators said during the live transmission provided by NASA, a few minutes after take-off, that “the vehicle is moving on an energy-efficient path.” Lindy Elkins-Tanton, responsible for the team of scientific experts on the mission, pointed out in a press conference, “Humans have previously visited planets whose composition is rocky, icy, or gaseous, but this is the first time we will visit an asteroid with a metallic surface.” The journey to reach Psyche will be long, as this asteroid is located in the outer part of the asteroid belt, between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. NASA’s probe will travel about 3.5 million kilometers to reach it, with expectations that it will reach the asteroid in the summer of 2029. Because of the light reflected from its surface, scientists realize that “Psyche” is very dense, and that its composition is mineral, perhaps with some other materials, such as rocks. “We don’t know what Psyche looks like,” Elkins-Tanton said. “I often joke that it’s shaped like a potato, because potatoes come in different shapes, so I’m not wrong.” Scientists believe that “Psyche”, which is more than two hundred kilometers long, may be the nucleus of an ancient celestial body whose surface was torn apart due to asteroid collisions. Earth, like Mars, Venus, and Mercury, has a metallic core. “We will never see this core because it is too hot and deep,” Elkins-Tanton said, adding, “Our next mission to Psyche will be the only way to see a core.” Psyche was formed about 4.5 billion years ago, at the birth of the solar system to which planet Earth belongs, and it may have witnessed volcanic eruptions, traces of which remain in the form of ancient lava flows. It is likely that the asteroid’s contraction caused huge cracks to form as its temperature decreased. Scientists are also looking forward to seeing what craters look like on a metallic celestial body, as matter released by an asteroid impact may have remained frozen in the air and formed a kind of dot. The probe will remain in orbit around Psyche for a little more than two years, with the aim of studying the asteroid while moving at several altitudes. The probe uses three scientific tools: multi-spectral imaging devices to photograph the asteroid, spectrometers to determine its composition, and magnetometers to measure its magnetic field. The probe will use Hall effect thrusters to move, which is the first of its kind on an interplanetary mission. These engines will use an electric current provided by the probe’s solar panels, to obtain inert gas ions (xenon gas), which will later become rapidly after passing through an electric field. David Oh, an engineer at NASA, pointed out that these elements will have a very high speed, “five times faster than the fuel that comes out of a conventional rocket,” which will generate the necessary thrust. He added: “This is something we heard about in the Star Wars and Star Trek movies, but today we are turning the future into reality.” The Psyche mission will also test a communication system using laser beams, which is supposed to allow the transfer of larger amounts of data than through wireless communications. (AFP)
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