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Missão da sonda Psyche infographic
A infografia mostra a missão ao asteroide Psyche.
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Missão Psyche a um mundo de metal

By Duncan Mil

September 22, 2023 - October 5, 2023 - A viagem da sonda Psyche ao asteroide do mesmo nome é uma oportunidade única para explorar o núcleo metálico exposto de um planeta precoce – blocos primordiais que se combinaram sob a força da gravidade para formar o nosso sistema solar há 4.500 milhões de anos.

Italian astronomer Annibale de Gasparis discovered the asteroid Psyche in 1852. De Gasparis named the asteroid after the Greek goddess of the soul.

The Psyche mission will launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 14:38GMT (10:38EDT) on October 5, 2023. It’s due to arrive at the asteroid in 2029.

Arizona State University leads the Psyche mission, carrying three primary instruments: a multispectral imager, a gamma ray and neutron spectrometer and a magnetometer.

The mission will measure Psyche’s gravity field to high precision. When combined with data from spectrometer imagery, this will provide information on the interior elemental composition of Psyche.

The Psyche spacecraft will conduct an experiment demonstrating NASA’s farthest-ever test of high-bandwidth optical communications. Deep Space Optical Communication (DSOC) will send and receive test data using an invisible near-infrared laser, transmitting data at 10 to 100 times the bandwidth of conventional radio wave systems used on spacecraft today.

DSOC features a cutting-edge photon-counting camera to receive a ground-transmitted laser. The camera is attached to a 22-centimeter (8.6-inch) aperture telescope that protrudes from the side of the spacecraft.

As the first demonstration of deep space laser communications, Developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, DSOC will pave the way for establishing higher data-rate returns from future human and robotic missions to Mars and beyond.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 22/09/2023; STORY: Graphic News
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