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NASA’s Psyche En Route to Asteroid: Unlocking the Secrets of Planet Formation
On Earth, the planet’s iron core is responsible for the magnetic field that shields our atmosphere and enables life.
Led by Arizona State University on NASA’s behalf, the $1.2 billion mission will use a roundabout route to get to the asteroid. The van-size spacecraft with solar panels big enough to fill a tennis court will swoop past Mars for a gravity boost in 2026. Three years later, it will reach the asteroid and attempt to go into orbit around it, circling as high as 440 miles (700 kilometers) and as close as 47 miles (75 kilometers) until at least 2031.
The spacecraft relies on solar electric propulsion, using xenon gas-fed thrusters and their gentle blue-glowing pulses. An experimental communication system is also along for the ride, using lasers instead of radio waves in an attempt to expand the flow of data from deep space to Earth. NASA expects the test to yield more than 10 times the amount of data, enough to transmit videos from the moon or Mars one day.
The spacecraft should have soared a year ago, but was held up by delays in flight software testing attributed to poor management and other issues. The revised schedule added extra travel time. So instead of arriving at the asteroid in 2026 as originally planned, the spacecraft won’t get there until 2029.
That’s the same year that another NASA spacecraft — the one that just returned asteroid samples to the Utah desert — will arrive at a different space rock as it buzzes Earth.
On October 13, 2023, NASA’s Psyche spacecraft embarked on an extraordinary journey to study an asteroid of the same name. Carried by a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, Psyche’s mission is to investigate this metal-rich world and provide invaluable insights into the formation of rocky planets. Accompanying this ambitious endeavor is NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communications technology demonstration, which will test laser communications beyond the Moon, paving the way for future exploration missions.
NASA/Aubrey Gemignani
The Psyche Mission
A Historic Launch:
Amidst great anticipation, Psyche successfully launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This momentous event marked the first-ever voyage to a metal-rich asteroid. As the spacecraft soared towards its destination, the fairings detached from the rocket, returning to Earth, and an hour later, Psyche separated from the rocket, preparing for the next phase of its mission.
Unveiling the Mysteries of Psyche:
Psyche promptly entered a planned safe mode, awaiting further commands from mission controllers on Earth. The spacecraft established communication with NASA’s Deep Space Network complex in Canberra, Australia, confirming its good health. With two-way communication established, scientists eagerly anticipate the treasure trove of scientific knowledge that Psyche will unlock.
A Metal World to Explore:
By August 2029, Psyche will begin orbiting the 173-mile-wide asteroid, becoming the first mission to explore a metal-class asteroid. With its high iron-nickel content, Psyche may be the remnant core of a planetesimal, offering valuable insights into the early stages of planet formation. This 26-month science investigation holds immense potential for expanding our understanding of the universe and our place within it.
The Journey and Propulsion System:
Psyche’s journey to the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter spans six years and covers a distance of 2.2 billion miles. Powered by solar electric propulsion, the spacecraft employs charged atoms of xenon gas to create thrust, gently propelling it forward. Along the way, Psyche will utilize Mars’ gravity as a slingshot, further accelerating its journey towards the asteroid.
The Commissioning Phase:
The initial 100 days of the mission comprise a commissioning phase, during which all flight systems undergo thorough checks to ensure their health. Of particular importance is the readiness of the electric thrusters to continuously fire over long stretches of the trajectory. Simultaneously, the science instruments, including a magnetometer, gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer, and multispectral imager, will undergo active checkout.
Advancing Optical Communications:
One of the significant technological advancements accompanying the Psyche mission is NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communications technology demonstration. Approximately three weeks into the mission, when Psyche is approximately 4.7 million miles away from Earth, this technology will be powered on. This marks NASA’s first test beyond the Moon of high-data-rate optical communications, a critical capability for future space exploration.
As Psyche embarks on its mission to unravel the mysteries of the metal-rich asteroid, excitement and anticipation fill the air. The discoveries made during this journey hold the potential to reshape our understanding of planet formation and evolution. Moreover, the technological advancements demonstrated by the Deep Space Optical Communications technology will pave the way for bolder goals and greater achievements in space exploration. NASA’s commitment to exploring the unknown and inspiring the world through discovery has never been stronger.
More Mission Information
Arizona State University leads the Psyche mission. A division of Caltech in Pasadena, JPL is responsible for the mission’s overall management, system engineering, integration and test, and mission operations. Maxar Space in Palo Alto, California, provided the high-power solar electric propulsion spacecraft chassis.
JPL manages the Deep Space Optical Communications project for the Technology Demonstration Missions program within STMD and the Space Communications and Navigation Program within the Space Operations Mission Directorate.
NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at Kennedy Space Center, is responsible for the insight and approval of the launch vehicle and manages the launch service for the Psyche mission. NASA certified the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket for use with the agency’s most complex and highest priority missions in early 2023 at the conclusion of a 2.5-year effort.
Psyche is the 14th mission selected as part of NASA’s Discovery Program, managed by the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
For more information about NASA’s Psyche mission go to:
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