NASA Scientists propose to explore a giant metallic asteroid

Habré was already informed about the new research program asteroids , which is included in the NASA budget. The program involves sending unmanned robotic vehicles to asteroids and study them on the spot or delivers a stable orbit around the Earth. A group of scientists предлагает NASA's goal to study in the first place: it is a very strange metallic asteroid Psyche.

With a diameter of 250 km asteroid Psyche - one of the largest in the solar system. It is assumed that it contains iron core protoplanets, stone layer which was destroyed in the collision. He must have a strong magnetic field.



Psyche is located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, the orbit of 2, 5.3, 3 AU from the sun.



The asteroid is composed almost entirely of iron. The mission will provide information about a rare early formation of the solar system and will explore such an unusual and strange object. "It is the only object that consists only of a core in the Solar System," - says Linda Elkins-Tanton (Lindy Elkins-Tanton), Director of Terrestrial Magnetism at the Carnegie Institute, one of the initiators of the proposal for the study of Psyche.

"We know a lot about rock and ice bodies, but what about the metal? - Asks Elkins-Tanton. - What looks like the surface of the metal in the world? ". We can assume that it is covered with melted craters from collisions with other asteroids.



Scientists offer to send Psyche research unit, which will be released in its orbit, and will explore the surface of the asteroid for 6 months, taking photos, measuring the magnetic field, gravity and other characteristics of the celestial body.

Specialists working on the technical description of the mission and a half years and are going to publish it in the next review of projects class Discovery, which is scheduled to announce in 2015. Discovery class mission involves inexpensive with a maximum budget of $ 425 million. If the project is approved, to prepare the launch of the device can be very fast, scientists say, because all of the necessary technology for this purpose have been developed. There are even quite suitable probe Dawn , created for the study of asteroids.

Source: habrahabr.ru/post/209724/