Space Science

Milestone Moment: NASA's Psyche Spacecraft Captures 'First Light' Image on Journey to Metal Asteroid

This mosaic of a star field in the constellation Pisces was made from “first light” images acquired Dec. 4 by both of the cameras on NASA’s Psyche spacecraft.
(NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU)

NASA's Psyche spacecraft, which was launched in October to search for gold and diamond on an asteroid, has captured its first images, marking a significant milestone in the mission. The spacecraft has been performing well since its launch, with all scientific instruments functioning properly and data being transmitted back to Earth.

On December 4, the mission turned on Psyche's twin cameras and captured a total of 68 images within a star field in the constellation Pisces. The imager team is using the data to verify proper commanding, telemetry analysis, and calibration of the images. The imager takes pictures through multiple colour filters, which will help determine the composition of the metal-rich asteroid Psyche.

The team will also use the data to create 3D maps of the asteroid to better understand its geology and history. The spacecraft is currently 26 million kilometres from Earth and will arrive at its destination, the asteroid Psyche, in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, in 2029.

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