Unearthing Psyche

Nidhi Shah

April 28th, 2025

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Genre/Medium: Colored Pencil on Wood

About the work:

Unearthing Psyche reimagines the Psyche mission not as a journey through space, but as an excavation into Earth itself. Rather than traveling outward, the spacecraft digs through layers of our planet to reach its core. The Psyche 16 asteroid is a metal world much like our planet’s core, and is likely to uncover truths about our own planet and its formation. The contrast between the asteroid’s textured, cratered surface and the fluid motion of the spacecraft’s descent reinforces the connection between space and Earth’s interior. The use of colored pencil on wood adds an organic texture, enhancing the sense of discovery. By challenging the perception of space exploration as purely outward-bound, this piece invites viewers to reconsider the ways we seek knowledge—not only by looking beyond, but also by delving inward. Unearthing Psyche suggests that space exploration is as much about understanding ourselves as it is about reaching the stars.

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Psyche Inspired is a program that brings undergraduate students from any discipline or major together to share the excitement, innovation, and scientific and engineering content of NASA’s Psyche mission with the public in new ways through artistic and creative works. This year’s Psyche Inspired cohort is known as the Iridium Class. These works are posted in the gallery and highlighted on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. View the full resolution images in the image gallery. There are many ways to get involved with NASA’s Psyche mission. Learn how you can be a part of the Psyche mission through our “Get Involved” pages at https://psyche.ssl.berkeley.edu/get-involved/ and https://science.nasa.gov/mission/psyche/ways-to-participate/. To learn more about the overall Psyche mission, visit nasa.gov/psyche or jpl.nasa.gov/missions/psyche.

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