NASA’s Psyche spacecraft successfully lifted off from Kennedy Space Center’s historic Launch Complex 39A in Florida on Friday, October 13, 2023. The spacecraft, atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, is embarking on a mission to study a metal-rich asteroid also named Psyche, located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. This marks NASA’s first mission to study an asteroid that consists predominantly of metal rather than rock or ice.
Accompanying the Psyche spacecraft is a pioneering technology demonstration called NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) experiment. This experiment will be the first test of laser communications beyond the Moon, aiming to provide more bandwidth for transmitting data than traditional radio frequency communications.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson congratulated the Psyche team on the successful launch and highlighted the significance of the mission in furthering our understanding of planet formation and advancing technology for future NASA missions.
Less than five minutes after liftoff, the rocket’s second stage reached a sufficient altitude for the fairings to separate and return to Earth. Approximately an hour after launch, the spacecraft separated from the rocket, and ground controllers awaited a signal from the spacecraft.
Shortly after separation, the Psyche spacecraft entered a planned safe mode, carrying out minimal engineering activities while awaiting further commands from mission controllers. At 11:50 a.m. EDT, Psyche established two-way communication with NASA’s Deep Space Network complex in Canberra, Australia, indicating that the spacecraft is in good health.
The primary objective of the mission is to study the 173-mile-wide (279-kilometer-wide) metal-class asteroid. Scientists believe Psyche’s high iron-nickel metal content suggests that it may be the partial core of a planetesimal, offering insights into the formation of rocky planets. The mission aims to conduct a 26-month science investigation, with the spacecraft reaching the asteroid’s orbit by August 2029.
For its journey to the main asteroid belt, Psyche utilizes solar electric propulsion, expelling charged atoms to create thrust. The spacecraft will also utilize Mars’ gravity as a slingshot to accelerate its trajectory.
The initial phase of the mission will focus on commissioning and ensuring the health of all flight systems. Following this phase, the science instruments onboard, including a magnetometer, a gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer, and a multispectral imager, will be activated for data collection. The Psyche team plans to share publicly viewable raw images online throughout the mission.
Additionally, in about three weeks, NASA will begin testing its deep space optical communications technology demonstration. This laser communication test, taking place approximately 4.7 million miles (7.5 million kilometers) from Earth, will provide valuable insights for future space exploration.
Leading the Psyche mission is Arizona State University, with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) managing the mission’s overall operations and system engineering. The high-power solar electric propulsion spacecraft chassis was provided by Maxar Space in Palo Alto, California.
The Psyche mission is part of NASA’s Discovery Program and is managed by the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.