Not all asteroids are created equal, and 16 Psyche, one of the largest, is extremely dense in metals, making it unique. Is the 140-mile giant the leftover core of a failed planet, or a more recent gravitational accretion of metal-rich bodies? Will it help us to understand how metallic cores—like Earth's—form and function? NASA's sending a spacecraft, also called Pysche, to find out. The mission is led by Dr. Lindy Elkins-Tanton, who joins Rod and bestselling author Daniel Suarez to explain what makes Psyche—both the asteroid and the mission—so fascinating.

Host: Rod Pyle

Guests: Daniel Suarez and Lindy Elkins-Tanton

Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space.

Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Sponsors:

• discourse.org/twit
• bitwarden.com/twit