NASA Psyche Captures First Light Images

NASA's Psyche spacecraft has marked a significant milestone on its journey to explore the asteroid Psyche in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupite by turning on its twin cameras, and capturing the spacecraft's "first light" images.

Located approximately 16 million miles (26 million kilometers) from Earth, Psyche has been actively conducting various operations, showcasing its remarkable capabilities. Its achievements so far include the successful activation of scientific instruments, seamless streaming of data back to Earth, and setting a deep-space record through its efficient electric thrusters.

The imager instrument, consisting of a pair of identical cameras captured a total of 68 images within a star field in the constellation Pisces.

The imager team is utilizing the data to verify proper commanding, telemetry analysis, and calibration of the images.

The stars imaged in the first image are in a region of the sky in the constellation Pisces. The region was photographed because that’s where the cameras happened to be pointed for this first simple functional imaging test. The field of view is about 8 degrees wide by 3.5 degrees tall.

The images were acquired using the camera’s clear or “broadband” filter and an exposure time of six seconds. Imager A took the left half of the mosaic; Imager B took the right half.

The images are the raw data have have not been calibrated other than having the background (or bias signal) subtracted from the image.

The brightest star seen is called mu Pisces. It has an astronomical magnitude (a measure of the brightness of an astronomical object) of 4.9. The other stars labeled have magnitudes between 7 and 9.

“These initial images are only a curtain-opener...For the team that designed and operates this sophisticated instrument, first light is a thrill. We start checking out the cameras with star images like these, then in 2026 we’ll take test images of Mars during the spacecraft’s flyby. And finally, in 2029 we’ll get our most exciting images yet – of our target asteroid Psyche. We look forward to sharing all of these visuals with the public.” - Jim Bell, the Psyche Imager Instrument Lead from Arizona State University

The imager employs multiple color filters tested during these initial observations. These filters enable the team to use photographs in both visible and invisible wavelengths of light, aiding in determining the composition of the metal-rich asteroid Psyche.

The imager team plans to create 3D maps of the asteroid, providing valuable insights into its geology and offering clues about Psyche's intriguing history.

The Psyche mission, scheduled to reach its destination in 2029, has been meticulously testing its scientific instruments early in the mission to ensure they are functioning as intended. The proactive approach allows the mission team to calibrate and adjust the instruments as needed during the lengthy journey.

With each successful operation, Psyche continues to pave the way for unprecedented discoveries about the mysterious asteroid.