We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent.
The solar arrays will produce more than 20 kilowatts of power when the spacecraft is near Earth, but they will generate just over 2 kilowatts of power – just a little more power than a hair dryer – when it reaches the asteroid Psyche, which is far away from the Sun.
The solar propulsion system’s thrusters use electromagnetic fields to accelerate and push out charged atoms, or ions, of the neutral gas xenon. The expelled ions create the thrust that pushes Psyche through space and emit a blue glow. With no atmospheric drag to hold it back, the spacecraft will accelerate to speeds of up to 124,000 mph relative to Earth during its interplanetary journey to the asteroid belt.
NASA’s Psyche mission is a remarkable endeavor to explore the asteroid named Psyche, which resides in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. This asteroid is believed to be the exposed core of a protoplanet, offering unique insights into the violent history of collisions and accretion that created terrestrial planets. Credit: NASA