Exploring 16 Psyche: Psyche Orbiter Kenneth Jops, Carter Robinson and Joshua Schwartz-Dodek

16 Psyche 11th most massive asteroid Psyche is M-Type, metallic, high albedo The most massive known M-Type asteroid Located in outer asteroid belt Outer belt usually dominated by C and D-type asteroids https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/16Psyche_%28Lightcurve_Inversion%29.png

M-Type Asteroids Metallic content Largely Fe-Ni Thought to be remnants of differentiated bodies Range in metal content Larger M-type asteroids tend to be hydrated/contain silicates http://www.periodictable.com/Samples/026.32/s13.JPG http://www.periodictable.com/Samples/028.9/s13.JPG

How did Psyche form? Theory #1 Psyche accreted with the rest of the belt and was large enough to differentiate Over millions of years collisions stripped away its outer layers and left only the core http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/717846main_pia16610_full.jpg

How did Psyche form? Theory #2 Psyche is the result of a collision of two protoplanets This would give serious insight into the dynamics of such collisions? Why/how was the crust of these planets stripped off? http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/717846main_pia16610_full.jpg

How did Psyche form? Theory #3 Psyche was formed very close to the sun Only heavier elements would have been available for accretion near the early sun Psyche would then have had to migrate to its current position http://www.physast.uga.edu/~jss/1010/ch8/fig8-10.jpg

16 Psyche-Questions What is its structure and composition? How did such a large, metallic body form? Is Psyche the source of metallic meteorites? Was Psyche molten? Did it cool from the inside or outside? http://planetary.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/images/9-small-bodies/20140219_Psyche-compared.png

Why Psyche? Largest of any such body discovered All data on planetary cores is inferred from magnetism/tectonics Give us clues about how planets form and where to look for planets like Earth http://www.spacedaily.com/images-lg/earth-core-mantle-crust-atmosphere-lg.jpg

Feasibility Very similar to the successful Dawn spacecraft Dawn mission orbited Vesta and is currently orbiting Ceres (both within asteroid belt) Artist Rendering of Psyche Spacecraft Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Artist Rendering of Dawn Spacecraft Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

“The Psyche Mission could be ready to launch relatively quickly because it requires no new technology development” -Dr. Elkins-Tanton, Lead Program Scientist and Principal Investigator for Psyche Team

About the Spacecraft Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) technology Solar Panels Use the power of the sun to create voltage Ion Propulsion Hyper-Efficient Long Lifetime Less mass and volume Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

About the Spacecraft Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) technology Solar Panels Use the power of the sun to capture voltage Ion Propulsion Hyper-Efficient Long Lifetime Less mass and volume Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Instruments on Board Magnetometer Imager Infrared and gamma ray spectrometers

The Mission- Psyche Orbiter Launch in 2020, arrive at 16 Psyche in 2026 Orbit asteroid for 6 months to 1 year, collecting data on its topography, surface features, gravity, magnetism, and more http://www.richweb.f9.co.uk/astro/images/MPL_16_Psyche.20060131.orbit.gif

Flight Trajectory Options Through Asteroid Belt, to the outer end Asteroid belt has a ton of asteroids, but it is very sparsely populated On average, 1 asteroid in each area about the size of Rhode Island Have sent numerous probes to the asteroid belt and beyond Pioneers 10 & 11, Voyagers 1 & 2, etc. Other option: exit the plane of the solar system Psyche Orbiter team has not disclosed which option they prefer http://www.universetoday.com/110276/why-the-asteroid-belt-doesnt-threaten-spacecraft/

Essential Data Collection Imager, Magnetometer, Gamma Ray Spectrometer Characterize Geology Shape Elemental Composition Magnetic Field Mass Distribution High Quality Images http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/crux/files/2015/03/dawn-blue-glow-ceres.jpg

What Scientific Questions will this mission answer? Is Psyche the stripped core of a differentiated planetesimal, or was it formed as an iron body? (Which of the 3 theories is correct?) What are the major alloying elements that coexist in the iron metal of the core? Was the core reduced or oxidized? Did the core solidify inward or outward? http://www.infoniac.com/uimg/planet-collision.jpg

What Scientific Questions will this mission answer? Did Psyche produce a magnetic dynamo? Rotation, Convection, and Conduction https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Outer_core_convection_rolls.jpg

What Scientific Questions will this mission answer? What are the key characteristics of the surface and topography (especially looking at the cratering in metal)? (Completely new field) http://www.holoscience.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2006/10/Olympus-Mons.jpg

“This is one of the few missions (proposed) that’s truly exploration,” said Lindy Elkins-Tanton, a planetary scientist from Arizona State University who leads the Psyche mission, in an interview earlier this year. “Nobody has ever seen a metal world before. We have no idea what it’s going to look like.” - Lindy Elkins-Tanton