The NASA Psyche mission, en route to the asteroid Psyche, experienced a setback in early April when its electric propulsion system thrusters shut down. This was attributed to a pressure drop in the xenon propellant line. After investigation, NASA engineers determined that a valve component was malfunctioning, obstructing xenon flow.
Initially, NASA aimed for a mid-June thruster restart. In a May 28th statement, the agency announced a solution: switching to a backup propellant line. This alternative line is now operational, and the Psyche spacecraft is expected to resume thruster operation by mid-June. To prevent recurrence, NASA will keep a similar valve open in the backup line.
The Psyche mission, launched in October 2023 aboard a Falcon Heavy, utilizes electric thrusters and a 2026 Mars gravity assist to reach the asteroid in August 2029. Its goal is to study this potentially significant metallic asteroid, possibly a remnant of a planet's core. While this propellant valve issue marks the first major problem since launch, the mission faced considerable developmental challenges, leading to a year-long delay and a 20% cost increase, totaling $1.2 billion.