NASA’s mission to explore the metal-rich asteroid known as “Psyche” has encountered a delay due to issues with the spacecraft’s thrusters, the agency disclosed in a recent announcement.

The launch of the Psyche spacecraft has been rescheduled for a week later, now aiming for a new launch date of October 12th at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, as detailed in a NASA blog post.

“The change allows the NASA team to complete verifications of the parameters used to control the Psyche spacecraft’s nitrogen cold gas thrusters,” the post read. “These thrusters are used to point the vehicle in support of science, power, thermal and other demands, such as spacecraft orientation and momentum management.”

The team explained that they needed to modify the parameters because warmer temperature forecasts were anticipated for the spacecraft’s thrusters, Fox News reported.

NASA emphasized that adhering to temperature limits while operating the thrusters is crucial for ensuring their long-term durability.

During its six-year voyage to Psyche, the spacecraft will employ solar-electric propulsion and utilize gravity-assisted maneuvers.

Once it reaches Psyche, the mission will entail approximately 26 months of orbiting the asteroid for in-depth study of this celestial body.

Written by staff