Success
Psyche
Planetary Science
SpaceX(SpX)CommercialFalcon Heavy
Helio-N/Aorbit
Psyche is a NASA interplanetary mission to visit the main belt asteroid of the same name, 16 Psyche. Spacecraft will take 4 years and one Mars flyby to reach the asteroid, which is of particular interest due to being comprised mostly of iron and nickel. Psyche is theorized to be a remnant of an early planet's core, and may offer insights into how solar system formed and evolved. The mission is led by Arizona State University, with NASA JPL being responsible for mission management and operations.
Friday, October 13, 2023 at 2:19 PM
Replay
Links
Mission details
The Discovery Program is a series of Solar System exploration missions funded by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) through its Planetary Missions Program Office. The cost of each mission is capped at a lower level than missions from NASA's New Frontiers or Flagship Programs. As a result, Discovery missions tend to be more focused on a specific scientific goal rather than serving a general purpose.
Jan 1, 1990 — ongoing
Orbital Attempt
#6,534
SpX Mission
#286
Pad Launch
#166
Location Launch
#224
Designator
2023-157
Weather GO
85%
Weather Concerns
Anvil Cloud Rules, Thick Cloud Layers Rule, Cumulus Cloud Rule
Launch Window
NET
Oct 13, 2023, 2:19 PM
Precision
Second
Schedule Changes
1 update
Falcon Heavy Specs
The Falcon Heavy is a variant of the Falcon 9 full thrust launch vehicle and consists of a standard Falcon 9 rocket core, with two additional boosters derived from the Falcon 9 first stage.
Length
70 m
Diameter
12.2 m
Launch Mass
1,400 t
Thrust
22,819 kN
LEO Capacity
63,800 kg
GTO Capacity
26,700 kg
Launch Cost
$90M
Reusable
Yes
Maiden Flight
2018
Fastest Turnaround
2mo 14d
Total Launches
12
Successful
12
Failed
0
Consecutive Success
12
Maiden flight: Feb 6, 2018
Social Flight Log
- Oct 13, 2023, 3:29 PM
Launch success, signals acquired.
Source - Oct 13, 2023, 2:19 PM
Liftoff.
Source - Oct 13, 2023, 1:31 PM
Livestream has started
Source - Oct 13, 2023, 12:33 PM
Weather 85%
Source - Oct 13, 2023, 6:40 AM
Weather 60% GO.
Source - Oct 12, 2023, 3:02 PM
Weather 40%
Source - Oct 11, 2023, 10:51 PM
24 hours slip due to weather.
Source - Oct 10, 2023, 5:28 PM
Updated weather.
Source - Sep 28, 2023, 11:14 PM
Launch time tweak.
Source - Sep 28, 2023, 7:19 PM
Delayed to October 12th due to spacecraft issues.
Source - Sep 28, 2023, 4:36 AM
Tweaked T-0.
Source - Sep 23, 2023, 1:31 AM
Tweaked T-0.
Source - Sep 5, 2023, 4:01 PM
T-0 confirmed.
Source - Apr 1, 2023, 5:54 PM
Adding T-0
Source - Mar 29, 2023, 7:59 PM
NET October 5
Source - Nov 18, 2022, 8:08 PM
Removing Janus from this launch
Source - Oct 28, 2022, 8:01 PM
NET October 10
Source - Jun 24, 2022, 6:10 PM
NET 2023
Source - May 23, 2022, 11:20 PM
NET September 20th after discovering an issue during software testing of the spacecraft
Source - Mar 26, 2022, 3:26 AM
Added launch time
Source
SpaceX
Space Exploration Technologies Corp., known as SpaceX, is an American aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company headquartered in Hawthorne, California. It was founded in 2002 by entrepreneur Elon Musk with the goal of reducing space transportation costs and enabling the colonization of Mars. SpaceX operates from many pads, on the East Coast of the US they operate from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and historic LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center. They also operate from SLC-4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, usually for polar launches. Another launch site is being developed at Boca Chica, Texas.
Founded
2002
Administrator
CEO: Elon Musk
Total Launches
681
Successful
666
Failed
15
Pending
120
Consecutive Success
166
Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
The John F. Kennedy Space Center, located on Merritt Island, Florida, is one of NASA's ten field centers. Since 1968, KSC has been NASA's primary launch center of American spaceflight, research, and technology. Launch operations for the Apollo, Skylab and Space Shuttle programs were carried out from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39 and managed by KSC. Located on the east coast of Florida, KSC is adjacent to Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS).
Timezone
America/New_York
Local Launch Time
Oct 13, 2023, 10:19 AM
Total Launches
281
Total Landings
0
Coordinates
28.5242, -80.6508