The Falcon-Heavy Psyche spacecraft was launched by NASA

NASA launched the Falcon-Heavy Psyche spacecraft on its years-long journey to an asteroid called 16 Psyche, also known as a metal world made up of 60% iron and nickel.

A NASA probe has departed from Earth to travel to one of the Solar System's strangest objects.

According to telescopic measurements, the spacecraft is traveling to the asteroid 16 Psyche, a metal-rich world that may contain up to 60% iron and nickel.

Scientists believe that the asteroid may be the leftover core of a planet-like entity that had its outer rocky layers stripped off.

The investigation spacecraft, also known as Psyche, was launched from Florida's Cape Canaveral.

At precisely 10:19:43 local time (14:19 GMT; 15:19 BST), a Falcon-Heavy rocket lifted off from Earth to launch the probe on its six-year, 3.5 billion km (2.2 billion miles) trek to its target, out between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

Scientists anticipate that their quarry will hold many surprises. Only nine asteroids have been found to date that have characteristics similar to those of Psyche, out of an approximated million and a half asteroids in the Solar System. Of those nine, the targeted body is by far the largest, measuring around 280km (175 miles) at its widest point.

When the spacecraft reaches the asteroid in August 2029, it will orbit there at a variety of altitudes, the closest of which is about 75 kilometers (47 miles), in order to map the shape of the metal world and determine its internal structure and composition.