Illustration of asteroid 16 Psyche. This asteroid has a diameter of over 200 kilometres and is one of the largest asteroids in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It is classified as an M-type asteroid, meaning it is composed of nickel-iron metal. NASA is planning on visiting this asteroid with the Psyche spacecraft, which is set to launch in late 2023 for a 450 million kilometre voyage to reach the asteroid in late 2029. Studying asteroid 16 Psyche should provide evidence about the initial conditions in which the Earth and other rocky planets formed.