![[AUTO] Falcon Heavy | Psyche - image](/media?u=https%3A%2F%2Fthespacedevs-prod.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com%2Fmedia%2Fimages%2Ffalcon2520heav_image_20231014091714.jpeg&w=1600)
SpaceXFalcon HeavyLaunch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
Psyche
Launched
October 13, 2023 · 14:19 UTC
Summary
Psyche launched on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy from Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA on October 13, 2023 at 14:19 UTC. It was SpaceX's 286th launch, 73rd this year and humanity's 6,534th orbital launch attempt. It was the 8th Falcon Heavy flight and the 4th this year. Booster B1079 flew for the 1st time and was expended. Booster B1065 flew for the 4th time and landed at Landing Zone 2. Booster B1064 flew for the 4th time and landed at Landing Zone 1. The payload was bound for Heliocentric N/A (Helio-N/A). Psyche, one of 2 catalogued objects, reached a 164 × 804 km orbit inclined 30.0°. 2 objects from this launch are catalogued, one of them a payload.
- Vehicle
- Falcon Heavy · SpaceXDiscovery Program
- Booster
- B1079 · flight 1 · expendable38/42 landed here
- B1065 · flight 4 · Return to Launch Site at Landing Zone 2 · landed17/17 landed here · 76 days after its previous flight, EchoStar 24/Jupiter-3 · 15 km downrange
- B1064 · flight 4 · Return to Launch Site at Landing Zone 1 · landed53/54 landed here · 76 days after its previous flight, EchoStar 24/Jupiter-3 · 15 km downrange
- Mission
- Planetary Science · Heliocentric N/A (Helio-N/A)for NASA
- Milestone
- 8th Falcon Heavy flight · 4th this yearSpaceX's 286th launch73rd this yearhumanity's 6,534th orbital launch attempt166th orbital launch attempt this year
Webcast
Flight preview
Simulate in Flight ClubOrbit: as tracked
Psyche · NORAD 58049 · 2023-157 · Space-Track · tracking 1 of 2 objects
Show the numbers for orbit elements
- Object
- PSYCHE
- Object ID
- 2023-157A
- Epoch
- 2023-10-13 14:28:09 UTC
- Mean motion
- 15.29658471 rev/day
- Eccentricity
- 0.04672
- Inclination
- 30°
- Ascending node
- 47.5426°
- Arg. of perigee
- 123.51°
- Mean anomaly
- 359.98°
- Element set
- 999
- Rev at epoch
- 0
- B*
- 0
Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: Helio-N/A. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile.
Catalogued objects
2 catalogued: 1 payload, 1 rocket stage
- Psyche · NORAD 58049 · left Earth orbit October 13, 2023
Falcon Heavy-008 Stage 2 · left Earth orbit October 13, 2023
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
Psyche is a NASA interplanetary mission to visit the main belt asteroid of the same name, 16 Psyche. Spacecraft will take 4 years and one Mars flyby to reach the asteroid, which is of particular interest due to being comprised mostly of iron and nickel. Psyche is theorized to be a remnant of an early planet's core, and may offer insights into how solar system formed and evolved. The mission is led by Arizona State University, with NASA JPL being responsible for mission management and operations.
Official page: SpaceXOfficial page: A Mission to a Metal World
News
APOD: 2026 July 29 – Psyche Receives Gravity Assist from MarsA video of the Psyche spacecraft flying by Mars.
Psyche Approaches MarsThis composite photo released on July 17, 2026, shows the crescent of Mars grow as NASA’s Psyche spacecraft approached the planet for a gravity assist. Psyche flew by Mars on May 15, 2026, using the planet’s gravity to gain speed and slightly tilt its trajectory. The flyby also gave the team an opportunity to prep for the […]
The Growing Crescent of Mars as NASA’s Psyche Mission ApproachesDescription This composite of images taken by NASA’s Psyche mission shows the crescent of Mars grow as the spacecraft approached the planet for a gravity assist from May 2 to May 15, 2026. The series begins with the smallest crescent at the center of the of the image as Mars is farthest from the spacecraft, and progressively […]
NASA’s Psyche Mission Images Details of Martian Surface During FlybyDescription Captured by the multispectral imager instrument on NASA’s Psyche mission, this is an enhanced-color mosaic created from four individual images acquired on May 15, 2026, during the spacecraft’s flyby of Mars. Psyche was traveling from right to left (northeast to southwest on Mars) during the six minutes that it took to acquire the images for […]
ESA’s Mars Express meets NASA’s PsycheFrom the ESA Blogs.
Pad
Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
166th launch from Launch Complex 39A, 11th this year · 224th from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
Local pad time at liftoff: Oct 13, 10:19 AM EDT, in daylight
224 launches from this pad · 283 from Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
39 days after the previous launch from this pad
Updates
Launch success, signals acquired.
Show 9 earlier updates
Liftoff.
Cosmic_Penguin · 10/13/2023 · source
Livestream has started
LL2 · 10/13/2023 · source
Weather 85%
Nosu · 10/13/2023 · source
Weather 60% GO.
Cosmic_Penguin · 10/13/2023 · source
Weather 40%
Nosu · 10/12/2023 · source
24 hours slip due to weather.
Cosmic_Penguin · 10/11/2023 · source
Updated weather.
Cosmic_Penguin · 10/10/2023 · source
Launch time tweak.
Cosmic_Penguin · 9/28/2023 · source
Delayed to October 12th due to spacecraft issues.
Jay · 9/28/2023 · source
Questions
When did Psyche launch?
Psyche launched on October 13, 2023 at 14:19 UTC.
Where can I watch Psyche?
Coverage: Psyche Launches to a Metal Asteroid (Official NASA Broadcast). Watch the replay
What rocket launched Psyche?
Falcon Heavy, flown by SpaceX. Falcon Heavy spec sheet
Where did Psyche launch from?
Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA. Liftoff was Oct 13, 10:19 AM EDT local time at the pad.
Did the booster land?
Booster B1079 flew for the 1st time and was expended. Booster B1065 flew for the 4th time and landed at Landing Zone 2. Booster B1064 flew for the 4th time and landed at Landing Zone 1.
What orbit did Psyche reach?
Psyche, one of 2 catalogued objects, reached a 164 × 804 km orbit inclined 30.0°.
How many satellites did Psyche launch?
1 payload from this launch is catalogued (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).
Which program is Psyche part of?
Discovery Program. About Discovery Program