JPL
Careers
Education
Science & Technology
JPL Logo
JPL Logo
Image

Artist's Concept of Psyche Spacecraft with Five-Panel Array

May 23, 2017
This artist's-concept illustration depicts the spacecraft of NASA's Psyche mission near the mission's target, the metal asteroid Psyche. The artwork was created in May 2017 to show the five-panel solar arrays planned for the spacecraft.

This artist's-concept illustration depicts the spacecraft of NASA's Psyche mission near the mission's target, the metal asteroid Psyche. The artwork was created in May 2017 to show the five-panel solar arrays planned for the spacecraft.

The spacecraft's structure will include power and propulsion systems to travel to, and orbit, the asteroid. These systems will combine solar power with electric propulsion to carry the scientific instruments used to study the asteroid through space.

The mission plans launch in 2022 and arrival at Psyche, between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, in 2026. This selected asteroid is made almost entirely of nickel-iron metal. It offers evidence about violent collisions that created Earth and other terrestrial planets.

Download JPG
Download TIFF
Mission
Credit
NASA/JPL-Caltech/Arizona State Univ./Space Systems Loral/Peter Rubin

Keep Exploring

NASA's Psyche: Picking up Launch Prep for 2023

Media Meet the Team Leading NASA's Psyche Mission

NASA Shows Off Psyche Spacecraft to Media

Psyche Spacecraft at the Asteroid Psyche (Illustration)

NASA's Psyche en Route to TVAC

Tall Order: NASA's Psyche in TVAC Testing

One of Psyche's Solar Array Successfully Deployed

Unfolding Psyche's Giant Solar Arrays

Up Close With a Solar Panel on Psyche

Preparing for Psyche's Solar Array Deployment

Related Topics

News .

Webb Looks for Fomalhaut’s Asteroid Belt and Finds Much More

Mission .

Psyche

Mission .

Near-Earth Object Surveyor

Mission .

Near Earth Asteroid Scout

News .

NASA’s Planetary Radar Captures Detailed View of Oblong Asteroid

News .

Webb Detects Extremely Small Main Belt Asteroid

News .

NASA System Predicts Small Asteroid to Pass Close by Earth This Week

News .

Construction Begins on NASA’s Next-Generation Asteroid Hunter

News .

NASA Program Predicted Impact of Small Asteroid Over Ontario, Canada

News .

As Psyche Mission Moves Forward, NASA Responds to Independent Review

About JPL
Who We Are
Executive Council
Directors
Careers
Internships
The JPL Story
JPL Achievements
Documentary Series
Annual Reports
Missions
Current
Past
Future
All
News
All
Earth
Solar System
Stars and Galaxies
Subscribe to JPL News
Galleries
Images
Videos
Audio
Podcasts
Apps
Visions of the Future
Slice of History
Robotics at JPL
Events
Lecture Series
Team Competitions
Speakers Bureau
Calendar
Visit
Public Tours
Virtual Tour
Directions and Maps
Topics
JPL Life
Solar System
Mars
Earth
Climate Change
Exoplanets
Stars and Galaxies
Robotics
More
Asteroid Watch
NASA's Eyes Visualizations
Universe - Internal Newsletter
Social Media
Get the Latest from JPL
Follow Us

JPL is a federally funded research and development center managed for NASA by Caltech.

More from JPL
Careers Education Science & Technology Acquisitions JPL Store
Careers
Education
Science & Technology
Acquisitions
JPL Store
Related NASA Sites
Basics of Spaceflight
Climate Kids
Earth / Global Climate Change
Exoplanet Exploration
Mars Exploration
Solar System Exploration
Space Place
NASA's Eyes Visualization Project
Voyager Interstellar Mission
NASA
Caltech
Privacy
Image Policy
FAQ
Feedback
Site Managers: Veronica McGregor, Randal Jackson
Site Editors: Tony Greicius, Naomi Hartono
CL#: 21-0018