NASA and SpaceX postponed the launch of the Psyche mission to October 12 to further verify the thruster parameters, and the launch window will be until October 25 at the latest. NASA and SpaceX have delayed the launch of the Psyche mission's Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center. They are now aiming for launch at 10:16 a.m. ET on October 12, a week later than the previous target of October 5.
NASA's Psyche mission to a distant metallic asteroid will carry a revolutionary deep space optical communications (DSOC) software package. Image source: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU
Reason for postponement
The change allowed the NASA team to complete verification of the parameters used to control the nitrogen-cooled thrusters on the Psyche spacecraft. Validation activities include rerunning simulations and fine-tuning flight parameters and procedures as needed. These thrusters are used to orient the vehicle to support science, power, thermal and other needs such as spacecraft orientation and momentum management. Mission managers recently made adjustments to parameters based on newer, higher predictions of these thruster temperatures. Operating thrusters within temperature limits is critical to ensuring the long-term health of the equipment.
There are millions of asteroids in the solar system, why did NASA go to asteroid Psyche? Scientists believe the asteroid, which orbits the sun between Mars and Jupiter, may be part of the metal-rich interior of a planetoid, the building block of the rocky planets in the solar system. Visiting Psyche and studying it up close can help us understand how planets like Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars formed. Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU
On September 28, NASA, SpaceX and Psyche mission managers held a meeting at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to conduct a Flight Readiness Review (FRR). During the flight readiness review, each team provided an update on the mission and certified the launch of final launch preparation activities, including a static fire test on September 29.
Fortunately, Psyche has launch opportunities every day from October 12th to October 25th.