A photo from open sources
A new research program has already been reported on Habré asteroids, which is included in NASA’s budget.
The program involves sending unmanned robotic devices to asteroids and their study on the spot or delivery to stable orbit around the Earth. A team of scientists suggests NASA goal to study first: this is a very strange metal asteroid Psyche.
With a diameter of 250 km, the asteroid Psyche is one of the largest in Solar system. It is believed to contain an iron core. protoplanets whose stone layer was destroyed as a result collisions. He must have a strong magnetic field.
A photo from open sources
Psyche is located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, with an orbit of 2.5-3.3 AE from the Sun.
A photo from open sources
The asteroid is almost entirely composed of iron. Mission will allow receive rare information about the early stage of the formation of the Solar system and allow you to explore such an unusual and strange object. “It the only object that consists only of the core, in all The solar system, “says Lindy Elkins-Tanton (Lindy Elkins-Tanton), director of earth magnetism at the institute Carnegie, one of the initiators of the Psyche study proposal.
“We know a lot about stone and ice bodies, but what about metal? – asks Elkins-Tanton. – What does it look like surface of the metallic world? “. It can be assumed that it covered with molten craters from collisions with other asteroids.
A photo from open sources
Scientists suggest sending a research apparatus to Psyche, which will enter its orbit and explore the surface asteroid for 6 months, taking photos, measuring magnetic field, gravity and other characteristics of a celestial body.
Specialists are working on a technical description of the mission already year and a half and are going to unveil it as part of the next Discovery class project review scheduled to be announced in 2015 year. Discovery class involves low-cost missions with with a maximum budget of $ 425 million. If the project is approved, then prepare launching the device can be very fast, scientists say, because everything The necessary technologies for this have already been developed. There are even quite A suitable Dawn probe designed to study asteroids.
NASA Solar System
