Welcome to the c/SpaceX Psyche Official Launch Discussion & Updates Thread!
| Scheduled for (UTC) | 2023-10-13 14:19 |
|---|---|
| Scheduled for (local) | 2023-10-13 10:19 (EDT) |
| Launch site | LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida. |
| Launch vehicle | Falcon Heavy |
| Center | 1079-1 (expended) |
| Booster | 1064-4 (RTLS) |
| Booster | 1065-4 (RTLS) |
| Customer | NASA |
| Payload | Psyche |
| Mission success criteria | Successful deployment of spacecraft into desired orbit |
Livestreams
| Stream | Link |
|---|---|
| NASA | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npIDMxrzm_o |
| Spaceflight Now | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2oTmDmpQd4 |
| NASASpaceflight | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr6XMnH_7RE |
| The Launch Pad | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSUN9bW0uCI |
| Everyday Astronaut | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzxJv3Ekrl0 |
| SpaceX | https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1712833986865823857 |
| The Space Devs | TBD |
Stats
☑️ 4th Falcon Heavy launch this year
☑️ 8th Falcon Heavy launch all time
☑️ 11th launch from LC-39A this year
☑️ 72nd SpaceX launch this year
☑️ 286th SpaceX launch all time
☑️ 248th consecutive successful Falcon 9 / FH launch (excluding Amos-6) (if successful)
Payload info
Psyche
Psyche is an orbiter mission that will explore the origin of planetary cores by studying the metallic asteroid 16 Psyche. Lindy Elkins-Tanton of Arizona State University is the Principal Investigator who proposed this mission for NASA’s Discovery Program. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) will manage the project.
16 Psyche is the heaviest known M-type asteroid and is thought to be the exposed iron core of a protoplanet, the remnant of a violent collision with another object that stripped off its outer crust. Radar observations of the asteroid from Earth indicate an iron–nickel composition. On 4 January 2017, the Psyche mission was selected for NASA’s Discovery #14 mission
| Target orbit | Heliocentric Orbit |
|---|---|
| Payloads | 1 |
| Total Mass | 2600 kg |
Resources:
Please post small launch updates, discussions, and questions here! Also feel free to leave feedback or suggestions for the mod team. We’re still a relatively small sub, so feedback from the community is very valuable!
I wish SpaceX would stream it on YouTube instead of X. For some reason those live streams never load for me.
I wish SpaceX would stream it on YouTube instead of X
Me too buddy, me too. Luckily, there will be no shortage of coverage for a high-profile mission like this. I’ve added a bunch of YouTube livestream links in the main post. You can pick and choose your favourite commentators.
For some reason those live streams never load for me
Are you logged in? It might be further efforts by Xitter to silo content away from non-users. I’ll try to post a direct link to the tweet (which is usually viewable without logging in) if I get the chance.
Yep, although I only tried through the Android app.
That’s not really a surprise though, right?
Thankfully, Nasa and TheLaunchpad stream it live on youtube.
SECO-1 and nominal coast orbit! The second stage will coast for ~45 minutes before igniting the M-vac again for final injection and deployment.
Booster entry burn startup!
Edit: And shutdown! Sidebooster FTS has safed.
Fueling has started. 85% chance.
T-2 minutes. Stage 2 LOX loading is complete.
T-1 minute. Falcon Heavy is in startup. LD go for launch.
Liftoff!
Booster engines cutoff and booster separation!
SES-2 M-vac ignition! Burn will last ~2 minutes.
SECO-2 M-vac shutdown and nominal orbit insertion! Awaiting payload deployment.
Center core cutoff, stage separation, M-vac ignition, and fairing separation!
T-3 minutes. Everything looking good so far.
In the booster IDs such as 1065-4, does the “-4” indicate that this is the fourth launch for booster 1065?
Yes, both 1064 and 1065 previously supported the USSF-44, USSF-67, and Jupiter-3 missions. Psyche will be the fourth launch for these FH side boosters, and they will likely be reused for USSF-52 and Europa Clipper.
Wow thanks! It’s awesome that reusability let’s boosters have stories like this, especially in cute pairs.
Weather is 40% go. Current launch time is 2023-10-13 14:19 UTC. Backup launch time is 2023-10-14 14:24 UTC.
Acronyms, initialisms, abbreviations, contractions, and other phrases which expand to something larger, that I’ve seen in this thread:
Fewer Letters More Letters FTS Flight Termination System LOX Liquid Oxygen SECO Second-stage Engine Cut-Off SES Formerly Société Européenne des Satellites, comsat operator ~ Second-stage Engine Start USSF United States Space Force
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