Psyche in the Solar System
Psyche is an asteroid located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It has an elliptical orbit that takes it as close as 2.5 astronomical units (AU) from the sun at perihelion and as far as 3.3 AU at aphelion. Its orbit is inclined at an angle of approximately 3.1 degrees to the plane of the ecliptic. Psyche takes approximately 5.04 Earth years to complete one orbit around the sun.
The Spacecraft
The Psyche spacecraft will test a sophisticated new laser communication technology that encodes data in photons at near-infrared wavelengths (rather than radio waves) to communicate between a probe in deep space and Earth. Using light instead of radio allows the spacecraft to communicate more data in a given amount of time.
Origins in Greek Mythology
Psyche is a unique asteroid that holds clues to the violent collisions that created Earth and other terrestrial planets. The name "Psyche" is derived from the Greek mythological figure of the same name. In Greek mythology, Psyche was a mortal woman who became the wife of Eros (Cupid), the god of love, and was ultimately granted immortality.
The Psyche Asteroid
Psyche is a metallic asteroid located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It is believed to be the exposed core of a protoplanet that was destroyed by a collision with another object. Psyche is about 226 kilometers (140 miles) in diameter and is made mostly of iron and nickel. It is the most massive metallic M-type asteroid known in the solar system.