Psyche Mission Launches From Kennedy Space Center ( Highlights)

Highlights from the Oct. 13, 2023, launch of NASAs Psyche spacecraft, which will travel 2. 2 billion miles to a metalrich asteroid in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Psyche lifted off from NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 7:19 a. m PDT (10:19 a. m. EDT). The mission, which is the first to explore a metalrich asteroid, aims to help scientists learn more about the formation of rocky bodies including Earth in our solar system. The Psyche spacecraft is equipped with four scientific investigations: the magnetometer, gammaray and neutron spectrometer, multispectral imager, and gravity science experiment. In addition, a technology demonstration called Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) will fly on Psyche in order to test highdatarate laser communications. Psyche is scheduled to arrive at the asteroid in 2029 and orbit for about 26 months. NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California manages the mission, which is led by Arizona State University.