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NASA Engineers Address Pressure Drop in Psyche Spacecraft Thrusters

The propulsion issue, identified in April, has halted thruster operations, with teams exploring solutions to maintain the mission's trajectory ahead of a mid-June deadline.

© NASA
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NASA's Psyche mission is set to arrive at a main belt asteroid also named Psyche in 2029.

Overview

  • NASA's Psyche spacecraft, en route to a metal-rich asteroid, experienced a xenon propellant line pressure drop on April 1, shutting down its Hall effect thrusters.
  • The pressure fell from 36 psi to 26 psi, prompting engineers at JPL to investigate the cause and consider switching to a backup propellant line.
  • The spacecraft can continue coasting until mid-June without affecting its trajectory, with a Mars gravity assist planned for May 2026 and asteroid arrival in 2029.
  • Psyche uses solar electric propulsion, relying on xenon gas to generate efficient thrust over long durations, with components supplied by Maxar and Fakel.
  • Originally delayed from 2022 to 2023 due to software issues, the $1.2 billion mission aims to study the asteroid Psyche, potentially a planetary core remnant.