ClearFocus Technologies is working closely with the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory to assess the security posture of security controls that comprise the Psyche Ground Data System. The Psyche Ground Data System will support the Psyche Space Probe mission from flight software development through mission operations. It is a NASA discovery mission and is scheduled to launch in August 2022, arrive at the Psyche 16 asteroid in January of 2026, and then proceed to characterize the composition of the asteroid. The Psyche mission is intended to explore and analyze this unique metal asteroid orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter. The asteroid Psyche appears to be the exposed nickel-iron core of an early planet and this characterization may confirm as such. This asteroid, which is about 173 miles wide, is made almost entirely of metal, and experts think it could be worth up to $10,000 quadrillion dollars in raw resources if those same resources were to be mined from Earth. This mission provides a unique opportunity to study how planets like our own Earth are formed. The probe is set to launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida and ClearFocus is excited to leverage our cybersecurity and Security Control Assessment expertise to assist NASA with ensuring the secure posture of the communications system that is driving this important mission.
