Psyche

Space

NASA tests laser communications across 10 million miles of space

NASA's Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) unit aboard the Psyche spacecraft has switched on, establishing a super-speed laser data link at a distance of 10 million miles (16 million km), or 40 times the distance from the Earth to the Moon.

Space

NASA mission to US$10-quadrillion asteroid lifts off

NASA's deep-space probe to an estimated US$10-quadrillion metal-rich asteroid is on its way. The Psyche mission lifted off on October 13 at 10:19 am EDT from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.

Space

NASA installs laser communication system on Psyche asteroid probe

When NASA's Psyche probe launches in October on its mission to a metal asteroid as much as 309 million miles (497 million km) from Earth, it will be carrying a new laser communications system that promises to revolutionize deep space missions.

Space

NASA gives go-ahead for mission to explore ancient planet core in asteroid belt

NASA has given its approval to begin construction of a spacecraft that will one day explore the metallic asteroid Psyche, which may represent the exposed metallic core of what was once a Mars-sized planet.

An artist's conception of the Psyche mission

Space

NASA's Psyche and Lucy to visit metal and Trojan asteroids

In September 2015, NASA chose five potential space exploration missions to fund. Now the space agency has narrowed the field down to two missions that will see robotic spacecraft probing parts of our Solar System that could give us deeper insights into its formation and evolution.