NASA Science Solar System Exploration

Skip Navigation

Missions › Psyche

Psyche

Spacecraft over asteroid. — Artist’s concept of the Psyche spacecraft near the surface of the Psyche asteroid. Credit: Credit Maxar (formerly SSL)/ASU/Peter Rubin | › Full image and caption

Goals	Psyche is the first mission to explore a world made not of rock or ice, but metal—asteroid Psyche.
Proposed Launch	~2022
Science Targets	Main Asteroid Belt, 16 Psyche
Type	Orbiter
Agency	NASA
Mission Website	https://psyche.asu.edu/

Related News

Preliminary results indicate that NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft successfully executed a 0.4-mile (620-m) flyover of site Nightingale yesterday as part of the mission’s Reconnaissance B phase activities.

OSIRIS-REx Completes Closest Flyover of Sample Site Nightingale

OSIRIS-REx Completes Closest Flyover of Sample Site Nightingale

Spitzer, designed to reveal the far, cold and dusty side of the universe, made discoveries its designers never even imagined, including a previously unseen ring of Saturn.

10 Things Spitzer Taught Us About Our Solar System

10 Things Spitzer Taught Us About Our Solar System

NASA’s Lucy mission team is seeing double after discovering that Eurybates, the asteroid the spacecraft has targeted for flyby in 2027, has a small moon. This bonus science opportunity was discovered by the Hubble Space Telescope.

Scientists Confirm New Asteroid Satellite

Scientists Confirm New Asteroid Satellite

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the spacecraft's launch, the mission team has gathered their top 10 images and graphics based on WISE and NEOWISE data.

Celebrating 10 Years of the WISE Spacecraft

Celebrating 10 Years of the WISE Spacecraft

The spacecraft discovered that asteroid Bennu could be active, consistently discharging particles into space.

NASA's OSIRIS-REx Mission Explains Bennu's Mysterious Particle Events

NASA's OSIRIS-REx Mission Explains Bennu's Mysterious Particle Events

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission is just days away from selecting the site where the spacecraft will snag a sample from asteroid Bennu.

NASA's OSIRIS-REx in the Midst of Site Selection

NASA's OSIRIS-REx in the Midst of Site Selection

NASA’s Lucy mission successfully completed its Critical Design Review on Oct. 18.

NASA's Lucy Mission Clears Critical Milestone

NASA's Lucy Mission Clears Critical Milestone

The next full Moon will be on Sunday afternoon, October 13, 2019, The Moon will appear full for about three days centered on this time, from Saturday morning to Tuesday morning.

October 2019: The Next Full Moon is the Hunter's Moon

October 2019: The Next Full Moon is the Hunter's Moon

Two relatively medium-sized asteroids will fly safely past Earth overnight Sept. 13-14 (Eastern U.S. time).

Two Asteroids to Safely Fly by Earth

Two Asteroids to Safely Fly by Earth

After months grappling with the rugged reality of asteroid Bennu’s surface, the team leading NASA’s first asteroid sample return mission has selected four potential sites.

NASA Mission Selects Final Four Site Candidates for Asteroid Sample Return

NASA Mission Selects Final Four Site Candidates for Asteroid Sample Return

Twenty-five years ago, humanity first witnessed a collision between a comet and a planet.

How Historic Jupiter Comet Impact Led to Planetary Defense

How Historic Jupiter Comet Impact Led to Planetary Defense

NASA has selected eight new research teams to collaborate on research into the intersection of space science and human space exploration as part of the Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI).

NASA Selects Teams to Study Our Moon, Mars' Moons, and More

NASA Selects Teams to Study Our Moon, Mars' Moons, and More

NASA has selected three finalists among a dozen concepts for future small satellites.

Small Satellite Concept Finalists Target Moon, Mars and Beyond

Small Satellite Concept Finalists Target Moon, Mars and Beyond

After nearly 16 years of exploring the cosmos in infrared light, NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope will be switched off permanently on Jan. 30, 2020.

How NASA's Spitzer Has Stayed Alive for So Long

How NASA's Spitzer Has Stayed Alive for So Long

Designed to explore a metal asteroid that could be the heart of a planet, the Psyche mission is readying for a 2022 launch.

NASA's Psyche Mission Has a Metal World in Its Sights

NASA's Psyche Mission Has a Metal World in Its Sights

DART – NASA’s first mission to demonstrate a planetary defense technique – will get one chance to hit its target, the small moonlet in the binary asteroid system Didymos.

NASA's First Planetary Defense Technology Demonstration to Collide with Asteroid in 2022

NASA's First Planetary Defense Technology Demonstration to Collide with Asteroid in 2022

On April 13, 2029, asteroid Apophis will cruise harmlessly by Earth at distance of about 19,000 miles (31,000 kilometers). Scientists are already planning observations and science opportunities for the event.

Scientists Planning Now for Asteroid Flyby a Decade Away

Scientists Planning Now for Asteroid Flyby a Decade Away

Next week at the 2019 Planetary Defense Conference, NASA’s PDCO and other U.S. agencies and space science institutions, along with international partners, will participate in a “tabletop exercise” that will play out a realistic—but fictional—scenario for an asteroid on an impact trajectory with Earth.

NASA, FEMA, International Partners Plan Asteroid Impact Exercise

NASA, FEMA, International Partners Plan Asteroid Impact Exercise

Five years of data have significantly advanced scientists' knowledge of asteroids and comets in our solar system, as well as the stars and galaxies beyond.

NEOWISE Celebrates Five Years of Asteroid Data

NEOWISE Celebrates Five Years of Asteroid Data

A small asteroid has been caught in the process of spinning so fast it’s throwing off material.

Hubble Watches Spun-Up Asteroid Coming Apart

Hubble Watches Spun-Up Asteroid Coming Apart

Bennu has revealed itself to be more rugged than expected, challenging the mission team to alter its flight and sample collection plans, due to the rough terrain.

NASA Mission Reveals Asteroid Has Big Surprises

NASA Mission Reveals Asteroid Has Big Surprises

Just as dust gathers in corners and along bookshelves in our homes, dust piles up in space too. But when the dust settles in the solar system, it’s often in rings.

What Scientists Found After Sifting Through Dust in the Solar System

What Scientists Found After Sifting Through Dust in the Solar System

Whether you're doing it for the nerd cred or the pie, this week on #10Things, we've got all the ways you can celebrate #PiDay with NASA.

10 Ways to Celebrate Pi Day with NASA on March 14

10 Ways to Celebrate Pi Day with NASA on March 14

By looking at the Moon, the most complete and accessible chronicle of the asteroid collisions that carved our young solar system, a group of scientists is challenging our understanding of a part of Earth’s history.

NASA's Moon Data Sheds Light on Earth's Asteroid Impact History

NASA's Moon Data Sheds Light on Earth's Asteroid Impact History

On December 31, NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft entered into orbit around the asteroid Bennu, and made Bennu the smallest object ever to be orbited by a spacecraft.

NASA's OSIRIS-REx Spacecraft Enters Close Orbit Around Bennu, Breaking Record

NASA's OSIRIS-REx Spacecraft Enters Close Orbit Around Bennu, Breaking Record

Looking Down on a Shooting Star

Looking Down on a Shooting Star

The Yet Yawning Gulf

The Yet Yawning Gulf

Ceres Poster - Version B

Ceres Poster - Version B