NASA’s Sci-Fi Thrusters: Psyche’s Electric Blue Journey to the Asteroid Belt
NASA’s Psyche spacecraft is on course to explore an asteroid by 2029, using innovative solar-powered electric thrusters for deep space travel. It is already beyond…
NASA Psyche News
NASA’s Psyche mission is a planned space exploration mission set to explore the asteroid 16 Psyche, which is unique in that it is rich in metal and is possibly the exposed core of an early planet. The mission, part of NASA’s Discovery Program, aims to launch in October 2023 with a spacecraft arrival at the asteroid scheduled for 2029. The primary goal of the Psyche mission is to study the asteroid’s composition, which could provide unprecedented insights into the violent history of collisions and accretion that created terrestrial planets. The spacecraft will be equipped with a multispectral imager, gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer, and a magnetometer to investigate the asteroid’s surface and its elemental composition. By studying 16 Psyche, scientists hope to learn more about the building blocks of planet formation and gain a better understanding of Earth’s core, which cannot be directly observed. The mission also marks a significant technological achievement, utilizing solar-electric propulsion to travel to and orbit the asteroid.
Data From the Void: NASA Receives Laser Communications From 140+ Million Miles Away
NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communications experiment also interfaced with the Psyche spacecraft’s communication system for the first time, transmitting engineering data to Earth. Riding aboard…
“First Light” for NASA’s Psyche Mission: Initial Images and a Solar Surprise
The mission team has celebrated several successes since its launch from Kennedy Space Center on October 13. The latest is the operation of the spacecraft’s…
Fast Facts: NASA’s Psyche Mission
NASA’s Psyche spacecraft recently launched atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Kennedy Space Center’s historic Launch Complex 39A in Florida on a first-of-its-kind mission…
NASA’s Psyche Mission: Embarking on an Epic Quest to an Ancient Asteroid
The NASA mission, a project with deep roots at MIT, is setting course for a metallic space rock that could be the remnant of a…
Signal Acquired! NASA’s Psyche Spacecraft Begins Its Epic Journey of Discovery
The Psyche spacecraft, headed to the asteroid Psyche, has successfully initiated its solar-powered propulsion. During its six-year journey, it will utilize advanced optical communication via…
SpaceX Falcon Heavy Blast Off: NASA’s Psyche Spacecraft on Its Way To Metal-Rich Asteroid
The mission will explore a metal-rich asteroid that may shed light on our own planet’s formation. NASA’s Psyche spacecraft is on its voyage to an…
NASA’s Psyche Launches: Liftoff at 5 Million Pounds of Thrust
We have liftoff! NASA’s Psyche spacecraft, along with the agency’s DSOC (Deep Space Optical Communications) technology demonstration, launched from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space…
Metal Meets Milestone: The Countdown to Psyche’s Historic Launch
Moments ago, mission teams polled “go” to begin fueling the Falcon Heavy’s three first-stage core boosters. The Falcon Heavy is a two-stage rocket with a…
“Go” for Launch: Weather Now 85% Favorable for NASA’s Psyche Liftoff Today
We remain a “go” for launch, with the latest weather update from the U.S. Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron predicting an 85% chance of favorable…
Rocket Weather Roulette: 40% Favorable Skies for NASA’s Psyche Launch
Weather officials with Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s 45th Weather Squadron predict a 40% chance of favorable weather conditions for the launch of NASA’s Psyche…
Journey to a Metal-Rich World: NASA’s Psyche Is Ready To Launch on SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket
The spacecraft is targeting an October 13 liftoff atop a Falcon Heavy rocket. Its destination, a metal-rich asteroid, may tell us more about how planets…
NASA’s Psyche “Go” for Launch, but Weather Has Other Plans
NASA hosted a prelaunch news briefing today to discuss the Psyche mission. NASA and SpaceX completed a launch readiness review on Tuesday, October 10, resulting…
5 Fast Facts: NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) Experiment
NASA’s DSOC, launching with the Psyche mission on October 12, seeks to revolutionize space communication by transitioning from radio waves to laser communication, promising enhanced…
A Slim 20%: Weather Concerns for NASA’s Psyche Rocket Launch
Weather officials with Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s 45th Weather Squadron predict a 20% chance of favorable weather conditions for Thursday’s launch, with the anvil…
6 Fast Facts: NASA’s Asteroid-Exploring Psyche Mission
NASA’s Psyche mission is set to explore a metal-rich asteroid, offering potential insights into the formation of rocky planets. The spacecraft, equipped with advanced instruments,…
SpaceX Falcon Heavy Liftoff Imminent: NASA’s Psyche spacecraft Sets Sights on Earth-Like Asteroid
NASA’s Psyche spacecraft, set to study an Earth-like asteroid, will also test advanced optical communication technology (DSOC) during its six-year journey, laying the groundwork for…
Cold Gas Thrusters Heat Up: NASA’s Psyche Mission Launch Pushed Back
NASA and SpaceX postpone the Psyche mission launch to October 12 for further thruster parameter verification, with a launch window until October 25. Launch Rescheduled…