NASA BRIEFING ON PSYCHE MISSION AND DEEP SPACE OPTICAL COMM, Sept 6, 2023, virtual, 1:00 pm ET

NASA and JPL will hold a briefing on September 6, 2023 at 1:00 pm ET to discuss the Psyche mission scheduled to launch on October 5. Psyche will visit an asteroid by that name in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.  NASA is using the mission to test use of optical (laser) communications for deep space missions, the Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) technology demonstration, which will also be discussed during the briefing.

The NASA press release notes that the schedule for this event could change if the return of Crew-6 from the International Space Station occurs at the same time. NASA is waiting for the weather to cooperate for their return, which had been scheduled for September 2. [UPDATE: The crew is returning on September 3/4 so will not interfere with this briefing.]

“The media briefing will air live on NASA Television, the NASA app, Facebook, X, YouTube, and on the agency’s website. The agency will share any changes to this streaming information based on the timing of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission departure from the International Space Station.”

Briefing participants are:

• Laurie Leshin, Director, JPL
• Lori Glaze, director, Planetary Sciences Division, NASA Headquarters in Washington
• Lindy Elkins-Tanton, principal investigator of Psyche, Arizona State University
• Henry Stone, project manager, Psyche, JPL
• Abi Biswas, project technologist for DSOC, JPL
• Serkan Bastug, mission manager, Launch Services Program, NASA Kennedy