Scientists using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have detected a component of water in the form of rust on the metal-rich asteroid Psyche.

This discovery offers new insights into the asteroid’s composition and formation.

Psyche, a large and unusually shiny asteroid in the main belt between Mars and Jupiter, was once thought to be entirely metallic and potentially the core of a planetesimal.

However, recent data suggests it is a mix of metal and silicate.

The detection of hydroxyl units, a component of water, supports the presence of rust, likely formed by water-bearing asteroids impacting Psyche.

While the JWST didn’t find a definitive water signature, the findings open up possibilities about the asteroid’s history and composition, Live Science has reported.

Psyche is currently the target of NASA’s Psyche mission, launched in 2023, with the spacecraft expected to arrive in 2029 to study the asteroid in more detail.

Despite its potential value in rare metals, Psyche’s distance from Earth makes it impractical for space mining.

Written by B.C. Begley