Asteroid · 16

Psyche

A metal-rich asteroid · artist’s illustration

NASA’s Psyche mission is travelling to this main-belt asteroid to study its composition and structure. It has not yet obtained close-up surface photographs.

16 Psyche · illustration
Illustration; the surface has not been photographed at close range. NASA/JPL · Image source ↗

Measurements

Effective diameter
222 km
Semimajor axis
2.926 AU
Orbital period
1,827.88 Earth days
Orbit, physical values and uncertainties
eccentricity
.1349324738201893 ± 2.963E-9
semi-major axis
2.925720466462538 au ± 2.8949E-9
perihelion distance
2.53094576621639 au ± 9.9504E-9
inclination; angle with respect to x-y ecliptic plane
3.098749116151128 deg ± 2.96E-7
longitude of the ascending node
149.9753859305033 deg ± 6.0558E-6
argument of perihelion
230.0326782748359 deg ± 6.1737E-6
mean anomaly
79.76939505329617 deg ± 1.8216E-6
time of perihelion passage
2460795.475337075717 TDB ± 8.8496E-6
sidereal orbital period
1827.87996016922 d ± 2.713E-6
mean motion
.1969494758105845 deg/d ± 2.9232E-10
aphelion distance
3.320495166708687 au ± 3.2856E-9
absolute magnitude
6.20
magnitude slope
0.20
diameter
222 km ± -1/+4
extent
278 x 238 x 171 km ± 6 x 5 x 3
GM
1.601 km^3/s^2 ± 0.017
bulk density
4.172 g/cm^3 ± 0.145
rotation period
4.196 h
geometric albedo
0.1203 ± 0.004
B-V
0.729 ± 0.023
U-B
0.299 ± 0.058
Tholen spectral type
M
SMASSII spectral type
X

Published JPL orbital elements describe their stated epoch; they are not current positions. Small-body diameters can be effective/model-dependent sizes, not spherical shapes. Missing measurements remain unavailable. Pluto’s diameter uses the New Horizons reference rather than an empty SBDB field. Orbital epoch: JD 2461200.5 TDB.

Object reference ↗

Missions & milestones

1 launches · 9 connected events

These are target-related flights and every connected programme record in the production catalogue. A connected event may concern another stage or target of the same journey. Launch outcome does not establish arrival or current operation.

TARGET-RELATED FLIGHT

Psyche

October 13, 2023 · UTC

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CONNECTED EVENT

Psyche Rollout Show

October 11, 2023 · UTC

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CONNECTED EVENT

Psyche Prelaunch News Conference

October 11, 2023 · UTC

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CONNECTED EVENT

Psyche Mission and Science Briefing

October 10, 2023 · UTC

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CONNECTED EVENT

Falcon Heavy Static Fire for Psyche

September 30, 2023 · UTC

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CONNECTED EVENT

Deep Space Optical Communications Media Teleconference

September 20, 2023 · UTC

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CONNECTED EVENT

Psyche Mission Press Conference

September 6, 2023 · UTC

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CONNECTED EVENT

Psyche Independent Review Media Teleconference

June 5, 2023 · UTC

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CONNECTED EVENT

NASA Psyche Independent Review Teleconference

November 4, 2022 · UTC

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CONNECTED EVENT

NASA Psyche Media Teleconference

June 24, 2022 · UTC

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Complete source cohort: 9,386 records.

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