NASA's Mission to a Metal Asteroid: Launch Preparations on Track

NASA's Psyche spacecraft, set to explore a metal asteroid named Psyche, is ready for launch in less than two months. The spacecraft, equipped with an electric propulsion system and thermal insulation, will be fueled with xenon and nitrogen gas to drive it towards its destination in the asteroid belt. After a nearly six-year journey, the spacecraft will enter orbit around the metal-rich asteroid in August 2029, where it will conduct its primary exploration phase until late 2031. The mission aims to study the remnants of a proto-planet that formed billions of years ago.