Falcon Heavy will launch
@NASAPsyche
! The mission, for which
@NASA
requires the highest level of launch vehicle reliability, will study a metal asteroid between Mars and Jupiter to help humanity better understand the formation of our solar systemβs planets
3, 2, 1... LIFTOFFπ
Only 13 days till our
#MissionToPsyche
launch period begins! Can't make the launch in person? No worries, you can come virtually! Join the countdown to liftoff here:
Onward and upward! Weβre
#psyched
to announce that
#MissionToPsyche
is moving into Phase D, where we will begin to assemble and test the spacecraft before launching with
@SpaceX
βs
#FalconHeavy
in 2022. See more here β¬οΈ
Check out the Psyche spacecraft's path to asteroid Psyche depicted in this updated mission plan graphic! What part are you most excited for?
#MissionToPsyche
T-minus 2 weeks!π
From takeoff to
#MissionToPsyche
spacecraft separation, follow along with this expected
@SpaceX
ascent timeline.
For more info check out:
Can you believe there's only 34 days till the
#MissionToPsyche
launch? π You can still register to be a part of the launch virtually! Register and learn more here:
#ICYMI
check out "This Week
@NASA
" featuring a very special guest: the Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) laser transceiver
@NASASCaN
@NASA_Technology
. Test your laser precision and find DSOC here at 0:46 π:
Congrats to
@NASAPsyche
βs Jessica Maschino on her
@ASU
graduation! π She received her BS in Earth & Space Exploration (Systems Design) from
@SESEASU
and has helped keep us on track with school visits, outreach, & metrics!β¨ Also, check out her commercial:
This is why we explore. Turns out that asteroid Dinkinesh is⦠asteroids Dinkinesh? During the
#LucyMission
βs first asteroid flyby on Nov. 1, we discovered that the main belt asteroid is a party of two, or binary pair!
Deep Space Optical Communications tech demo is riding along w/ Psyche.
#DidYouKnow
going from radio to laser, or optical, comms will allow increased data rates throughout the solar system!
@NASAJPL
@NASA_Technology
Read more:
How big is BIG? Take a look π at this
#MissionToPsyche
Inspired artwork from
@marshallw_art
, a Physics major at
@UCCS
. This piece compares the asteroid with some well-known places and objects! For more info visit:
Under wraps: a new spacecraft has arrived at
@NASAJPL
. But itβs no secret β our
#MissionToPsyche
will explore a metal-rich asteroid, and weβre almost ready to finish building the spacecraft. Watch for more details soon.
#ICYMI
#MissionToPsyche
successfully passed Mission System Critical Design Review (CDR) last week! π Thanks to a great team, the Psyche mission continues on track for launch in Summer 2022. Want a refresher on our mission timeline? Visit:
Psyche Program Scientist, Sarah Noble, created this sketch after a Psyche team meeting. Psyche remains mysterious & will almost certainly not look like we expect. What do you think Psyche will look like?
Get
#PsycheSpaceCRAFTY
& submit your own:
Day 9 of
#SpacetoberChallenge
is βorbitβ. I took this as an opportunity to figure out where exactly my two favorite asteroids are today, October 9th 2023.
The
#MissionToPsyche
spacecraft's X-band radio telecommunications system will measure the asteroid's gravity field to high precision.
#DidYouKnow
when combined with topography derived from onboard imagery, it provides info on the interior structure of Psyche!
Created by Psyche Inspired intern, Finn: "(16)Psyche orbits the Sun in the asteroid belt & over time, has likely been hit by smaller objects. With its potentially high metal content, the surface may be littered w/craters, which may be rimmed by massive sheets & pillars of metal."
#MissionToPsyche
lost an incredible long-time colleague, teammate, communicator, and friend in
@SESEASU
βs Karin Valentine. Our mission,
@ASU
,
@NASAJPL
, and the
@NASASolarSystem
, wonβt be the same without her. She'll always be a part of our team.
Fresh out of testing, the first of 2 fully-populated filter wheels for the flight versions of the
@MissionToPsyche
Multispectral Imager led by
@Jim_Bell
! Weβll be taking a π-colored spectrum of photos of our favorite asteroid through these filters soon enough!Β (Photo: MSSS)
An asteroid beneath your feet!
#MissionToPsyche
Inspired intern and
@RITtigers
student Brianna Young brings a new meaning to home decor with this colorful latch-hook rug of the Psyche asteroid.
Ringing in the new yearπ...and our 6-year anniversary of the day
#MissionToPsyche
was selected as
@NASA
's 14th Discovery mission! Read all about that day from Principal Investigator
@ltelkins
in this blog postβ¬οΈ
We're on our way to the Psyche asteroid, but we still need a little help from our friends!
#MissionToPsyche
will get a gravity assist from
@NASAMars
in 2026. Check out our timeline image & read more: ! Happy
#RedPlanetDay
There are only 6 days till the launch of Psyche! To help get totally PSYCHE'D, metal out with this original tribute written & performed by
@terryglaze
!
Head over to the
#MissionToPsyche
YouTube to hear the full song:
Great to learn from Psyche mission experts this morning at the Astrotech Space Operations facility in Titusville, Florida. The Psyche spacecraft is set to launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket in October and will explore a metal-rich asteroid located between Mars and Jupiter.
The Psyche Press Kit just dropped! Here you'll find everything you need to know about the
#MissionToPsyche
including a special feature from one of our past
#PscyheInspired
interns.π
Check it out:
Inspired by vintage astronomy and astrology posters, βOrbits of Psycheβ created by
#PsycheInspired
intern and 3D digital design major
@RITtigers
@paigemanleyart
, visualizes the various orbits that the Psyche spacecraft will take around the Psyche asteroid.
Are you an undergrad student in the U.S.? Do you love space? π Do you have a creative talent? π¨ππΆπΊπ»Well then we want YOU, to join our
@NASAPsyche
team! Click here ππ½ toβ¦
All eyes on Psyche! Ever wonder where asteroid Psyche is in its orbit right now?
@NASAJPL
created "Eyes on Asteroids" so you can track Psyche & other asteroids & missions like our sister mission
@LucyMission
!
πβ¬οΈ
Prepare to be amazed!
@NASAPsyche
Inspired intern Noah Keime designed this masterpiece w/
@Procreate
! Noah says: βJoin the Psyche spacecraft on its journey through space. Marvel as you enter the asteroid belt on your way to your final destination: Psyche!β
A mission to one of the most mysterious destinations in the asteroid belt is preparing for flight. In the latest episode of the
#GravityAssist
podcast, NASAβs chief scientist discusses our
#MissionToPysche
with planetary scientist Lindy Elkins-Tanton:
Right now,
#AskNASA
your questions about our
#MissionToPsyche
, set to launch in October to explore a metallic asteroid that could be the core of a planet that never formed.
Sister missions by chance, friend missions by choice! Wishing our sister
@LucyMission
a wonderful
#NationalSistersDay
on Sunday. Can't wait for your launch on Oct 16!
A spacecraftβs journey doesnβt begin on the launchpad. Our
#MissionToPsyche
will explore an asteroid, but first we have to finish building it. Psyche has arrived at
@NASAJPL
, where it will undergo final assembly and checkouts before its launch next year.
So great to have a big sister (mission) to show us the ropes!
@LucyMission
, canβt wait to cheer you on when you launch this year--we think you ROCK! Love you to the Trojans and back!
#IloveLucy
#nationalcomplimentday
Remember the tech demo that launched with
#MissionToPsyche
? Well, it just called home.
It's the first time data has been transmitted β via laser β beyond the Moon, and it could transform how spacecraft communicate.
More on DSOC:
At NASA, we have a long tradition of turning fuzzy, distant dots into close-up images of complex worlds by sending robotic spacecraft to explore them (this example is Pluto). Next year, the
#MissionToPsyche
gets underway to explore a mysterious asteroid:
From our team to yours, wishing everyone a joyous holiday season filled with health and happiness...and some relaxation too! Cheers to a fabulous 2018 πβοΈππ°οΈ
#journeytoametalworld
#sopsyched
#seasonsgreetings
Attention Passengers! Christian Ponce, a biological engineering major at
@Caltech
&
#PsycheInspired
intern, draws inspiration from the Jet Age & takes us 100 years beyond
#MissionToPsyche
to give us a futuristic view of a luxury interplanetary traveler.
Need a boost? We're launching on the
#FalconHeavy
... just sayin'π Learn more about the
#MissionToPsyche
planned launch & about the
@SpaceX
Falcon Heavy belowβ¬οΈ
π
πΈπ
"Ad Asteroid"ππ« This impressive artwork was created by
@NASAPsyche
Psyche Inspired intern &
@ASU
student, Janani Lakshmanan!π± She says: "For this piece, I abstracted the shapes of the 28 asamyutha hastas & made an entirely novel alphabet as a backdrop for the Psyche asteroid."
Join
#MissionToPsyche
PI, Dr. Lindy Elkins-Tanton, for an exciting teleconference discussing asteroid science & planetary defense ππ« Next Mon Oct. 19 at 1 pm ET along with leads of
@NASA
missions
@OSIRISREx
, DART, and
@LucyMission
! Watch on NASA TV orΒ !
Siena Smania,
#MissionToPsyche
Inspired intern &
@ASU
@SESEASU
student, created her first-ever dress from scratch, "Metallic Warrior," to represent the possible surface of Psyche. π View at the Showcase next week - pre-register now!
We're 80 days from the start of
#MissionToPsyche
's launch period! Everyone worldwide is invited to register on
@NASA
's Virtual Guest List to learn more & watch our launch online!
The new year is just around the corner, and weβre
#SoPsyched
for 2020! β¨ Tweet us what youβre
#Psyched
for in the new year! Cheers from all of us at Team Psyche! βοΈ
Exciting News π
#ArizonaPBS
is bringing you a half-hour special hosted by Ted Simons on the Psyche space mission π PBS Passport users can join us for an exclusive look at the unique Psyche asteroid, set to launch on Oct 12.
Watch the special now!
Get all your friends PSYCHE'D at your next game night with this
#ThrowbackThursday
Psyche board game created by a past
#PsycheInspired
intern, Jeremy Seidner.
View and download the game board here:
Same us, different username! π Weβll be changing our name to
@MissionToPsyche
across all our social media platformsβ¦and adding some new ones! π Stay tuned to our accounts for more out-of-this-world Psyche Mission content! π
#NASAPsyche
What's that black box at the center of the DSN antenna? π‘
It's an optical terminal that makes this Deep Space Network antenna capable of receiving both radio frequency and near-infrared laser signals.
Sam Hollasch, Psyche Inspired intern &
@RITtigers
student, illustratesΒ an imagined
#Psyche
asteroid after a collision. The asteroid was named after the Greek goddess of the soul & Sam was inspired by βthe idea that Psyche is the exposed heart of a long-vanished planet.β β€οΈ
There's no time like leap day to make plans for the next leap day! On Feb 29, 2028
#MissionToPsyche
will be MUCH closer to asteroid Psyche.
See if you can find it:
#TuesdayTrivia
Wonder what it would be like to stand next to the Psyche spacecraft? π€ Check out this image, which shows what the average human looks like standing next to the spacecraft bus! π€―
#TheMoreYouKnow
PSA: Looks like Psyche the Asteroid has joined the
#AGU2017
celebration! Catch our favorite asteroid orbiting a booth near you π ππΌππΌππΌβ¨
Our sister mission
@LucyMission
is about to head off on an epic 12-year journey! The Psyche undergrad interns shared their
#LucyTimeCapsule
of what they'll be up to when Lucy hits some big mission milestones. Share your
#LucyTimeCapsule
in the comments!
Launch period opens October 5th and the
#MissionToPsyche
team couldn't be more excited! We are on our way π
Read about the updated mission plan here:
πLAUNCH UPDATE!
The planetary window for the
#MissionToPsyche
opens Oct 5, 2023. Psyche will travel to a unique metal-rich asteroid to study one of the building blocks of our solar system.
Psyche will launch on a
@SpaceX
Falcon Heavy from
@NASAKennedy
!
Twinkle twinkle little Psyche π 'Inspired in Space,' created by
@UnwinDesign
a
#PsycheInspired
intern and art major
@LCCC
, represents the
#MissionToPsyche
with its twinkling lights as the distant stars and silver, gold, and copper foil as the various instruments.
"What is the NASA Psyche Mission?" π Check out this colorful, educational comic designed by Psyche Inspired intern &
@ucsantabarbara
student, Joyce Tsui! π¨ Celebrate amazing artwork from our internship program in our online showcase, starting tomorrow:
Happy
#NationalPeriodicTableDay
! In celebration, we bring you the
#MissionToPsyche
Gamma Ray & Neutron Spectrometer (GRNS) from
@JHUAPL
@Livermore_Lab
! The GRNS will detect, measure, & map Psyche's elemental composition, telling us the asteroidβs history and what it's made of!
Here at
#MissionToPsyche
we like to think outside the box π¦, but our Psyche Inspired intern and
@ASUEngineering
student Alyssa Thornhill thought outside the "wheel" with her embroidery "Trail of Psyche" that shows the possible magnetic 𧲠field of the asteroid.
#embroidery
#art
#PartnerPalooza
#DidYouKnow
π‘ that the
@NASAPsyche
mission will test a new laser communication technology that encodes data in photons to communicate between Earth and deep space? π The team behind the Deep Space Optical Communication (DSOC) is based at
@NASAJPL
! π
Best thing about Thanksgiving meals? Leftovers! Our teams often put βleftoversβ to work β using parts, technology, and know-how from previous missions. The
#DARTMission
's camera was derived from one aboard the New Horizons Pluto probe. More examples: