Enlarge image
Nasa probe on the way to the metal asteroid »Psyche« (Illustration)
Photo: Cover Images / IMAGO
Due to delays in the delivery of flight software and test accessories, the US space agency Nasa has postponed the start of a mission to the metal asteroid "Psyche", which was originally planned for this year.
NASA said there would not be enough time to test the software before the end of the launch period on October 11th.
"The decision to postpone the launch wasn't easy, but it's the right decision," said NASA executive Laurie Leshin.
It is not yet clear when the probe should start instead.
If she had started this year, she could have arrived at »Psyche« in 2026.
Now the probe could start in 2023 or 2024, but would only arrive in 2029 or 2030 due to the changed sky constellations.
The mission is intended to explore a metal-rich asteroid in more detail for the first time.