An orbiting mission to study a metallic asteroid and shed light on planetary cores
The Psyche mission has used a Mars gravity assist to accelerate toward its metal-rich target. Launched in 2023, the probe has reoriented its orbit and is on track to arrive at the asteroid Psyche in summer 2029, after testing its science instruments during the Mars flyby.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage has struck the Moon near Einstein Crater at about 5,400 mph, carving a new crater and launching a dust plume. South Korea’s Danuri orbiter has photographed the site and released images. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is scheduled to image the impact next week while scientists begin analysing ejecta and crater formation.
Insurers are eyeing orbital computing as SpaceX, Blue Origin, Google and startups plan fleets of satellites and in-space data centers. Experts say pricing risks will be crucial as hundreds of billions of dollars in hardware move into space, while regulatory and technical hurdles remain.