NASA Launches "Psyche" on SpaceX's Falcon Heavy Rocket to Metal Asteroid

NASA is launching the Psyche mission on SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket to explore the metal asteroid 16 Psyche, which could potentially hold valuable materials and provide insight into the early solar system

Questions to inspire discussion

• What is the purpose of the Psyche mission?

  —The purpose of the Psyche mission is to explore the metal asteroid 16 Psyche and gather information about its composition and characteristics.

• How will the Psyche spacecraft reach the asteroid?

  —The Psyche spacecraft will be launched on SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket and will arrive at the metal asteroid in 2029.

• Will the Falcon Heavy boosters be recovered?

  —Yes, the side cores and fairings of the Falcon Heavy rocket will be recovered, but not the center core.

• What instruments are on board the Psyche spacecraft?

  —The Psyche spacecraft is equipped with a multispectral imager, gamma ray and neutron spectrometer, and magnetometer.

• How long will it take for the spacecraft to reach the asteroid?

  —With the assistance of a gravity assist from Mars, the Psyche spacecraft will take around nine months to a year to reach the metal asteroid. 

Key Insights

SpaceX's Rocket Reusability and Efficiency

• 🚀 The Falcon Heavy rocket has an impressive 77-day turnaround between boosters, showcasing SpaceX's efficiency in rocket reusability.
• 🚀 The Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy boosters have already flown multiple times, with some boosters having flown up to 17 times, showcasing SpaceX's commitment to reusability and cost-efficiency.
• ⏰ Pre-chilling the engines with super chilled liquid oxygen is a critical milestone in the launch process to ensure optimal engine performance.
• ⏳ Engine chill down is crucial to prevent thermal shock and potential damage to the pumps, highlighting the complexity and precision required in rocket launches.
• 🌌 The Falcon Heavy launch was visually stunning, with the side boosters separating from the rocket and the center core continuing on, showcasing the impressive capabilities of SpaceX's technology.
• 🚀 The landing of the SpaceX Falcon Heavy boosters created a thrilling sonic boom that was felt and heard by those nearby, adding to the excitement of the launch.
• 🌍 The concept of the Saber engine, which transitions from an air breathing engine to a rocket engine, is genius and if it becomes a reality, it would be a great addition to multi-stage vehicles.

Exploration of the Metal Asteroid, 16 Psyche

• 🌍 The mission to the metal asteroid, 16 Psyche, is considered a fully operational and real interplanetary mission, unlike the previous Tesla car demo mission.
• 🌌 The mission to explore the metal asteroid, 16 Psyche, could potentially uncover the core of a planet that had its surface stripped away, providing valuable insights into the formation and evolution of celestial bodies.
• 🚀 The use of a Mars assist allows the spacecraft to reach the metal asteroid, 16 Psyche, in a shorter time frame compared to a direct rendezvous, which would take around six years.
• 🌌 The Psyche spacecraft will be sent to deep space, marking an exciting mission to explore a metal asteroid.
• 💰 The metal on asteroid Psyche could potentially be worth more than the entire world economy, sparking the possibility of asteroid mining.
• 🚀 The mission to the metal asteroid, 16 Psyche, will involve orbiting the asteroid for about two years, capturing unbelievable images and performing various orbits and plane changes.
• 🤔 The mission to the metal asteroid Psyche is a giant question mark, as scientists are unsure about its composition, characteristics, and origins, making it an exciting and intriguing endeavor.

Mission Significance and Anticipation

• 🚀 The speaker expresses excitement about the "psyche Mission" and mentions waiting for it for a long time, indicating its significance and anticipation.
• 🌌 The upcoming Starship attempt by SpaceX will feature incredible views and will be streamed in 4K, providing an immersive experience for viewers.
• 🎥 Everyday Astronaut is working on a highly anticipated video with an "insane amount of animations" that he believes will be one of his best videos yet.

#SpaceX #FalconHeavy #Psyche

Clips

• 00:00 🚀 NASA is launching the "Psyche" mission on SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket to explore the metal asteroid 16 Psyche, with plans to recover the side cores and fairings, making it the first fully operational interplanetary mission for Falcon Heavy.
  • NASA is launching the "Psyche" mission on SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket to explore the metal asteroid 16 Psyche.
  • NASA will launch the Psyche spacecraft on SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket to the metal asteroid 16 Psyche, which is a substantial payload that will require most of Falcon Heavy's power, with the boosters being landed back on land and the spacecraft arriving at the asteroid in 2029.
  • NASA is launching the "Psyche" mission on SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket to explore the metal asteroid 16 Psyche, with plans to recover the side cores and fairings, but not the center core, making it the first fully operational interplanetary mission for Falcon Heavy.
  • NASA is launching the Psyche mission on SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket to explore a metal asteroid that could potentially be the core of a planet, with instruments on board including a multispectral imager, gamma ray and neutron spectrometer, and magnetometer.
  • NASA is launching the Psyche spacecraft on SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket to explore the metallic asteroid 16 Psyche, using a hall effect thruster for the first time on an interplanetary mission, with a long journey that includes a gravity assist from Mars and arrival at Psyche in August 2029.
  • The speaker mentions that they are wearing a heliocentric shirt and encourages viewers to purchase it at a discount, while also promoting their EP and offering a coupon code, and briefly mentions their color-changing mug.
• 17:42 🚀 NASA is launching the Psyche mission to explore the metal asteroid 16 Psyche using SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket, with a one-year delay due to logistical challenges, and the goal is to make Starship fully reusable.
  • NASA is launching the Psyche mission to explore the metal asteroid 16 Psyche, and the speaker also mentions upcoming events and the timeline for the mission.
  • The speaker explains that if NASA were to go directly to the metal asteroid Psyche without the assistance of Mars, it would require much more energy and take around six years, but with the gravity assist from Mars, it will take around nine months to a year.
  • The SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket is traveling horizontally in space at an accelerating velocity, but the cost and logistical challenges of recovering the center core during reentry make it not worth it, resulting in a one-year delay to launch and a two-year extension to the cruise phase.
  • NASA is launching the Psyche mission to explore the metal asteroid 16 Psyche using SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket, and the launch will be streamed in 4k.
  • SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy boosters are crew-rated, the center core is structurally different, the mission to launch Psyche is the furthest SpaceX has gone, they are working on creating reusable rockets, and the goal is to make Starship fully reusable.
  • People are more familiar with airplanes and the concept of horizontal takeoff and landing, but the math always favors a multi-stage vehicle for space launches.
• 35:17 🚀 The SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket is ready for launch to send the Psyche spacecraft to deep space.
  • Installing a turbocharger on a non-turbocharged engine does not improve fuel economy, as the weight of the vehicle and the rocket equation negate any potential savings, but multi-stage rockets and reusing boosters can increase efficiency.
  • Learn the differences between orbit and suborbit, including the velocity and fuel savings for return to launch site and downrange landings, by watching the video.
  • The speaker is excited about creating scale models of rockets, specifically the Mercury program, and mentions the absurdity of the size difference between the Mercury Redstone and Falcon 9, as well as the development of the metal Atlas rocket with an ejectable side skirt.
  • The rocket's booster engines were jettisoned to reduce mass, and the spacecraft team is preparing for launch by transitioning to internal power and ensuring the engines are properly chilled.
  • The team prepares for the launch by filling the tanks, transitioning to internal power, and discussing the process of engine chill down to prevent damage to the pumps.
  • The SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket is ready for launch, with the strong back retracted, clamp arms released, and all systems go to send the Psyche spacecraft to deep space.
• 47:49 🚀 Falcon Heavy successfully launched the Psyche mission to study a metal asteroid, with boosters landing and spacecraft on its way, while upcoming projects and informative videos are planned.
  • Falcon Heavy successfully launched Psyche, a mission to study a metal asteroid in deep space, with all engines performing well and the side boosters separating as planned.
  • There will be a series of steps in the launch, including engine cutoff, stage separation, and the second stage burn, with calculations determining the amount of work needed from each component.
  • Clouds overhead, tracking boosters and telemetry, engines chilling down, booster entry burn starting up, side boosters coming back, entry burn shut down, final landing burn, loud sonic boom, booster side boosters transitioning to transonic, monitors shaking.
  • The Falcon Heavy successfully landed both boosters and the Psyche spacecraft is now in space, coasting for 45 minutes before entering an escape trajectory towards the metal asteroid.
  • The spacecraft will perform maneuvers and burns to align with Mars for a gravity assist flyby before reaching the metal asteroid Psyche, with the decision made to no longer recover the core, and there are exciting upcoming projects that will be revealed in the next few months.
  • The speaker is excited about creating long, informative videos with great visuals that dive deep into topics and teach viewers something, and they have a never-ending list of upcoming videos they are excited about.
• 01:03:46 🚀 NASA is launching the Psyche mission on SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket to the metal asteroid 16 Psyche, which could potentially be worth more than the entire world economy and will provide insight into the early building blocks of the solar system.
  • The metal asteroid Psyche could potentially be worth more than the entire world economy, leading to the possibility of asteroid mining, but its value would depend on its composition, with iron being considered less valuable than platinum.
  • The speaker explains that they were unable to livestream the launch due to limited resources and discusses the reason behind not using a triple drone ship landing for the Falcon Heavy mission, citing diminishing returns and the challenge of recovering the center core due to increased velocity.
  • The Psyche mission will orbit the asteroid for about two years, with various orbits and plane changes, and will provide close-up images after a slingshot around Mars, potentially launching this year pending FAA approval.
  • Launch sites in Africa, specifically near the equator, would be ideal for rocket launches, but the lack of infrastructure and logistical challenges make it difficult to utilize them effectively.
  • The mission to the metal asteroid Psyche is exciting because it is a giant question mark and will help answer unknowns about its composition and characteristics, potentially providing insight into the early building blocks of the solar system.
  • NASA is launching the Psyche mission on SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket to the metal asteroid 16 Psyche, and there will be a future announcement about a gathering of space enthusiasts and an award ceremony for the best missions of the year.
• 01:15:22 🚀 SpaceX has abandoned the landing of Falcon Heavy's center core to focus on developing Starship, while also discussing potential collaborations with Rocket Lab and the exciting prospects of asparagus staging and the Saber engine; Artemis 2, the mission to fly humans around the Moon, is scheduled for November 2024 but may be delayed.
  • Falcon Heavy's center core landing has been abandoned by SpaceX in favor of focusing on the development of Starship, which is crucial for future missions such as a moon mission that requires refueling in orbit.
  • Elon Musk initially wanted to cancel the Falcon Heavy program in 2017 due to the difficulties of scaling up the rocket, but thanks to Gwen Shotwell's intervention, they realized it was easier to make a bigger rocket than to attach multiple rockets together.
  • The speaker discusses upcoming events in Europe and mentions a generous donation, but also apologizes for potentially repeating old questions.
  • Falcon Heavy's center core will not be recovered, the upper stage will orbit the Sun between Earth and Mars, and the speaker is excited about organizing space events with rocket scientists and companies building rockets.
  • Rocket lab could potentially build the lower stage of the booster for Falcon Heavy, and asparagus staging, where the side boosters feed propellant into the center core, would be the most efficient way to operate Falcon Heavy, although no company has done liquid fuel transfer between propellant tanks on a rocket, and the Saber engine, which transitions from an air breathing engine to a rocket engine, is also an exciting prospect.
  • Artemis 2 is currently scheduled for November 2024, but there is a chance it could be pushed into the next year, and it will be the first time humans fly around the Moon in 50 years.
• 01:27:24 🚀 The speaker discusses the potential for SpaceX's Super Heavy booster to stain, but believes the stainless steel Starship booster will not have as much staining and may develop a multicolored appearance.
  • The speaker discusses the potential for SpaceX's Super Heavy booster to stain like Falcon 9 cores, but believes that the stainless steel Starship booster will not have as much staining and may even develop a multicolored appearance.
  • To efficiently launch missions like Psyche, it would be better to use a cheap kick stage to send a heavy payload like Psyche to the asteroid, while keeping Starship in low earth orbit.
  • The speaker apologizes for the lack of recent videos, explains their video release schedule, and mentions their inability to livestream rocket launches due to travel commitments.
  • The speaker takes pride in creating high-quality videos with detailed animations, putting in a lot of effort and time to ensure the best possible viewing experience for the audience.
  • Make sure to have notifications on and pay attention to updates, as the speaker will be doing more live streams and there will be a Patreon live stream before they go to Europe.
  • The speaker discusses their music and encourages listeners to check out their songs, particularly "cryo," which has a unique time signature and polyrhythmic elements.
• 01:38:22 🚀 NASA is launching the Psyche mission on SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket to explore the metal asteroid 16 Psyche, potentially leading to a gold rush if valuable materials are discovered.
  • The speaker discusses the possibility of expending the side boosters for a faster spacecraft, the differences between Falcon Heavy and Delta 4 Heavy rockets, and the audio issues during the live stream.
  • The rocket is currently in a two-minute burn to raise its orbit and will eventually leave Earth's influence to orbit the Sun, with the payload expected to separate in about four minutes.
  • Photographer turned full-time astronaut enthusiast discusses his career change and provides live commentary on the launch of NASA's Psyche mission on SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket.
  • NASA's mission to the metal asteroid 16 Psyche could potentially lead to a gold rush if valuable materials like gold, platinum, and silver are discovered, and the profitability of the mission depends on the cost of the launch and the amount of platinum that can be brought back.
  • NASA's Psyche mission to explore the metal asteroid 16 Psyche is worth visiting the Kennedy Space Center for a full day, and there are other attractions like the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and downtown Cocoa Beach to enjoy while in the area.
  • NASA and SpaceX are launching the Psyche mission to the metal asteroid 16 Psyche, and the speaker discusses the potential competition between SpaceX and Stoke Space.

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