TED-ED: Why is NASA sending a spacecraft to a metal world? - Linda T. Elkins-Tanton

The video discusses the asteroid 16 Psyche, a metallic body in the solar system, and NASA's mission to study it. Psyche is unique due to its nickel-iron composition, similar to Earth's core, offering a rare opportunity to study planetary formation and core composition. NASA's mission, part of the Discovery Program, aims to explore Psyche using advanced instruments to analyze its surface and magnetic field. This mission could provide insights into Earth's innermost secrets by studying an exposed metallic core in space.

What is 16 Psyche and why is it significant in the study of asteroids?

What are the main components of 16 Psyche's surface?

Why is studying 16 Psyche considered a way to learn about Earth's core?

What challenges do scientists face when studying the Earth's core directly?

What instruments will NASA's robotic orbiter use to study 16 Psyche?