Why scientists are traveling to a metal asteroid to understand Earth's hidden core.

Earth's metallic core is buried too deep for us to reach. NASA's Psyche mission aims to study a unique, metal-rich asteroid that may reveal the secrets of how planets are built. This talk explores the mission's goals and the significance of investigating this unexplored celestial body.

Most terrestrial planets, including Earth, are believed to contain metallic cores hidden beneath thick layers of rock. Because these cores are unreachable, scientists have never been able to study them directly. The asteroid Psyche provides a rare opportunity to examine the building blocks of planetary formation by visiting a world that is fundamentally different from the rocky bodies we typically explore.

Led by Principal Investigator Dr. Lindy Elkins-Tanton, the mission represents a first-of-its-kind investigation into this specific class of celestial object. The public talk, originally aired on August 19, 2021, features insights from the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory team, including Marc Razze and Lindsay McLaurin, regarding the scientific potential of this metal-rich world.

Source: Psyche: Mission to a Metal-Rich World (Live Public Talk)