Psyche Spacecraft:
NASA’s Psyche spacecraft captured a stunning crescent image of Mars from nearly 5 million kilometres away.
- Psyche Spacecraft was launched in 2023 by NASA.
- It is on a mission to reach the metal-rich asteroid also named Psyche.
- The body of the Psyche spacecraft is about the size of a small van.
- It uses a solar-electric propulsion system powered by xenon gas, slowly gaining speed over time as it travels through space.
- Scientific Instruments of Psyche Spacecraft
- Magnetometer: It will look for evidence of an ancient magnetic field at the asteroid Psyche.
- Gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer: It will help scientists determine the chemical elements that make up the asteroid’s surface material.
- Multispectral Imager: It consists of a pair of identical cameras equipped with filters and telescopic lenses to photograph the surface of the asteroid in different wavelengths of light.
