NASA engineers have found a way to solve the problems with the Psyche probe’s propulsion system. They successfully switched it to the backup fuel line, which would allow the mission to continue as planned.

The Psyche mission was launched in 2023. Its target is Psyche, a metallic asteroid that is believed to be a fragment of the core of a dead protoplanet. The spacecraft is powered by four Hall-effect electric rocket engines. The principle of their operation is based on the following. The energy collected by Psyche’s solar panels is used to ionize atoms of the working fluid (xenon), which is then ejected, creating thrust.
In early April, mission specialists had to shut down Psyche’s engines due to an unexpected drop in pressure in the fuel line. They subsequently determined that the cause was a mechanical malfunction in one of the valves that open and close to control the fuel flow. After a bunch of tests and diagnostics, the team found that one of the parts inside the valve wasn’t working right, which was stopping xenon from getting into the engines.
Therefore, engineers decided to switch the vehicle to a backup fuel line identical to the main one. This operation was a success. With the switch to the backup fuel line now complete, the spacecraft’s engines are expected to resume operation in mid-June. Engineers plan to keep the backup line valve open to ensure fuel flow and avoid potential mechanical problems in the future.
Problems with the fuel line did not affect the mission schedule. In May 2026, Psyche will fly past Mars, using the planet’s gravity as a catapult to accelerate. Its arrival at the metal asteroid is scheduled for August 2029.
According to NASA