Psyche Mission

One year ago today, the future of space communications arrived at Earth as a beam of light from a NASA spacecraft nearly 10 million miles away. That’s 40 times farther than our Moon. That’s like using a laser pointer to track a moving dime from a mile away. That’s pretty precise. That laser — transmitted […]

Posted November 14, 2024

Psyche Mission

Asteroids

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Psyche Asteroid

The Solar System

NASA’s Psyche Fires Up Its Sci-Fi-Worthy Thrusters

The spacecraft already is beyond the distance of Mars and is using ion propulsion to accelerate toward a metal-rich asteroid, where it will orbit and collect science data. NASA’s Psyche spacecraft passed its six-month checkup with a clean bill of health, and there’s no holding back now.

Posted May 22, 2024

Psyche Mission

Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC)

Marshall Space Flight Center

Space Communications & Navigation Program

Space Technology Mission Directorate

Tech Demo Missions

Technology Demonstration Missions Program

NASA’s Optical Comms Demo Transmits Data Over 140 Million Miles

NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communications experiment also interfaced with the Psyche spacecraft’s communication system for the first time, transmitting engineering data to Earth. Riding aboard NASA’s Psyche spacecraft, the agency’s Deep Space Optical Communications technology demonstration continues to break records.

Posted April 25, 2024

Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC)

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Psyche Mission

Space Communications & Navigation Program

Space Operations Mission Directorate

Space Technology Mission Directorate

Tech Demo Missions

NASA’s Tech Demo Streams First Video From Deep Space via Laser

The video, featuring a cat named Taters, was sent back from nearly 19 million miles away by NASA’s laser communications demonstration, marking a historic milestone. NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communications experiment beamed an ultra-high definition streaming video on Dec.

Posted December 18, 2023

Psyche Mission

Asteroids

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Psyche Asteroid

The Solar System

NASA’s Psyche Delivers First Images and Other Data

The mission team has celebrated several successes since its launch from Kennedy Space Center on Oct. 13. The latest is the operation of the spacecraft’s cameras. NASA’s Psyche spacecraft is on a roll. In the eight weeks since it left Earth on Oct. 13, the orbiter has performed one successful operation after another, powering on […]

Posted December 5, 2023

Psyche Mission

Space Communications & Navigation Program

Space Operations Mission Directorate

Space Technology Mission Directorate

Tech Demo Missions

NASA’s Deep Space Optical Comm Demo Sends, Receives First Data

DSOC, an experiment that could transform how spacecraft communicate, has achieved ‘first light,’ sending data via laser to and from far beyond the Moon for the first time.

Posted November 17, 2023

Kennedy Space Center

Psyche Mission

Launching to a Metal-Rich Asteroid

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket on Friday, Oct. 13, 2023, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This image captures the beginning of the spacecraft’s journey to a metal-rich asteroid of the same name. The body of the Psyche spacecraft is about the size of a small van, and it’s […]

Posted October 16, 2023

Psyche Mission

Asteroids

Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC)

Missions

Psyche Asteroid

Technology Demonstration

Technology Demonstration Missions Program

The Solar System

NASA’s Psyche Spacecraft, Optical Comms Demo En Route to Asteroid

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft is on its voyage to an asteroid of the same name, a metal-rich world that could tell us more about the formation of rocky planets. Psyche successfully launched 10:19 a.m. EDT Friday aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Integrated onto the […]

Posted October 13, 2023

Kennedy Space Center

Psyche Mission

Preparing Psyche for Launch

A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket with the Psyche spacecraft onboard is seen as it is rolled out of the horizontal integration facility on Oct. 10, 2023, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida as preparations continue for the Psyche mission. NASA’s Psyche spacecraft will travel to a metal-rich asteroid by the same name orbiting the […]

Posted October 12, 2023

Psyche Mission

Asteroids

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Psyche Asteroid

The Solar System

Journey to a Metal-Rich World: NASA’s Psyche Is Ready to Launch

The spacecraft is targeting an Oct. 12 liftoff atop a Falcon Heavy rocket. Its destination, a metal-rich asteroid, may tell us more about how planets form. In less than 24 hours, NASA’s Psyche spacecraft is slated to launch from the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. With its sights set on a mysterious asteroid of […]

Posted October 11, 2023