NASA has successfully resolved an issue with the primary propulsion system on its interplanetary spacecraft, Psyche. Engineers have bypassed a malfunctioning main fuel line by switching to a redundant, backup system. This action will allow the spacecraft to continue its journey to its scientific destination in the Main Asteroid Belt, located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. However, this solution means the mission no longer has a backup fuel line available in the event of another failure during its long voyage.
The agency reported that all four of the spacecraft’s electric plasma propulsion engines ceased operation on May 1st. It was later clarified that the engines had actually been offline since April 1st. This situation was not immediately critical, as a course correction maneuver was not required until mid-June. During this period, NASA engineers aimed to diagnose the problem and prevent any disruption to the mission.
Psyche’s engines are electrically powered. Solar panels gather sunlight and convert it into electricity, which is used to generate an electromagnetic field within the engines. These engines utilize gaseous xenon as a propellant. The xenon atoms are accelerated by the electromagnetic field, producing a gentle but continuous thrust. On April 1st, the pressure in the xenon fuel line decreased, triggering an automatic shutdown of the engines. Analysis of the systems revealed a faulty valve within the fuel line responsible for delivering the xenon to the engines.
Due to the spacecraft’s immense distance from Earth (millions of kilometers), repairing or replacing the valve is impossible. Therefore, the decision was made to activate the backup fuel line. Testing confirmed that this secondary system is functioning correctly. The engines are scheduled to be restarted at full power in mid-June, and the backup valve will remain open.
The Psyche spacecraft was launched in October 2023. It will travel until 2029, at which point it will arrive at its namesake asteroid, Psyche. This asteroid is believed to be the metallic core of a protoplanet that never fully formed. As humanity has no way to directly study Earth’s core, Psyche presents a unique opportunity to examine a similar object and gain insights into the composition and structure of planetary cores.
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