spacetoday.net: Psyche to miss launch window this year

Posted: Sat, Jul 2, 2022, 12:30 PM ET (1630 GMT)
NASA's Psyche asteroid mission will miss its launch window this year. NASA announced Friday that the project concluded there was not enough time to test the spacecraft's software before its launch window closed in October. The project ran into delays developing a software testbed, a combination of hardware and software provided by JPL and satellite manufacturer Maxar, required to test the spacecraft's guidance, navigation and control software. NASA will conduct an independent review of the mission before deciding how to proceed. The next launch window for Psyche is in the middle of 2023, but that will delay its arrival at the asteroid Psyche by three years. NASA will also need to assess the additional cost caused by the delay and how that may affect other planetary science missions.