NASA controllers established two-way communications with the Psyche spacecraft at 11:50 a.m. Eastern on 2023-10-13.
SpaceX postponed a Falcon 9 Starlink launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station late 2023-10-08 and prioritized the Falcon Heavy launch of Psyche, postponing the Starlink launch until after Psyche lifts off.
NASA rescheduled the Psyche launch for 2023-10-12 before postponing it another day because of poor weather within a three-week launch period that ran through 2023-10-25 with instantaneous daily launch windows.
The Falcon Heavy side boosters used for the Psyche launch had each flown three previous missions: USSF-44, USSF-67, and Hughes JUPTER 3, making Psyche their fourth launch.
The rescheduled Florida Starlink launch was planned for the evening of 2023-10-13 assuming the Psyche launch occurred as scheduled.
Psyche was targeting an 2023-10-12 liftoff atop a Falcon Heavy rocket with launch opportunities identified each day through 2023-10-25.
A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket with the Psyche spacecraft was at Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on 2023-10-11.
Psyche’s solar electric propulsion system accelerates and expels charged xenon ions to create thrust for a nearly six-year, about 2.2 billion-mile (3.6 billion-kilometer) journey to the asteroid Psyche in the main asteroid belt.
Psyche will perform a Mars gravity-assist flyby in May 2026 to slingshot toward the asteroid, saving propellant while gaining speed and changing direction.
Psyche’s solar electric propulsion system accelerates and expels ions of neutral gas xenon to create thrust for a nearly six-year, about 2.2 billion miles (3.6 billion kilometers) journey to asteroid Psyche.
A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket carried the Psyche spacecraft to Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on 2023-10-11.
Psyche is the 14th mission selected as part of NASA’s Discovery Program, which is managed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
The Psyche spacecraft is scheduled to reach asteroid Psyche in 2029 and will spend about 26 months in orbit gathering images and other data.
The Psyche spacecraft will fly by Mars in May 2026 to use Mars’ gravity to slingshot toward asteroid Psyche, saving propellant while gaining speed and changing direction.
Launch Complex 39A is experiencing pad congestion with several launches ahead of IM-1, including a Falcon Heavy launch of Psyche that was delayed to 2023-10-12.
The independent review board confirmed that issues with Psyche and JPL had been resolved in June 2023.
Psyche's launch was delayed from August 2022 due to issues with testing the spacecraft's flight software.
JPL is providing the Deep Space Optical Communications technology demonstration instrument to fly on Psyche to test high-data-rate laser communications.
A SpaceX Falcon Heavy is targeted to launch Psyche from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center no earlier than 10:38 a.m. EDT (7:38 a.m. PDT) on 2023-10-05, with additional opportunities scheduled through 2023-10-25.
Psyche is the 14th mission selected as part of NASA’s Discovery Program managed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.