NASA has fired electric ion Hall thrusters on the Psyche spacecraft, bound for the metal-rich asteroid of the same name in the asteroid belt beyond Mars, where it will explore the planet's embryonic core.
Psyche Mission
Heading for Asteroid
NASA says Psyche spacecraft is in "full cruise" six months after launch in October 2023 on a SpaceX rocket. During the mission, the agency tested laser communications in deep space for the first time in history, transmitting a communication beam from a distance of about 16 million km. Psyche is expected to reach its eponymous target asteroid by 2029 and orbit it for two years, observing and transmitting data.
Ion Propulsion
The mission uses innovative ion Hall thrusters, which are silent and have no moving parts. They create thrust by ionizing and repelling xenon particles. Such engines are durable, economical in fuel consumption and can be installed on compact devices. NASA first used ion engines for primary propulsion in 1998 on Deep Space 1. Psyche's current speed is 37 km/s, but it will gradually accelerate to almost 200 thousand km/h.
Mission Objectives
Scientists believe that Psyche represents a planetary embryo or planetesimal. Studying this celestial body will help better understand the formation of planetary cores and the history of the Solar System.
Glossary
- NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) - National Aeronautics and Space Administration, US space agency
- Ion Hall thruster - a type of ion rocket engine that uses ionized gas to generate thrust
- Psyche - an asteroid in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, consisting largely made of metals
- SpaceX is an American private aerospace company founded by Elon Musk
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What is Psyche and how does it move?
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Discussion of the topic – NASA turned on futuristic ion engines at the Psyche station - speed 133.2 thousand km/h
NASA says the Psyche spacecraft, heading toward a metallic asteroid in the asteroid belt, went into "full cruise" mode after firing its electric ion Hall thrusters. The ship's speed reached an impressive 133.2 thousand km/h six months after launch on a SpaceX rocket.
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