A NASA spacecraft on a mission to explore an asteroid rich in metal has resumed its journey through the Solar System by reigniting its plasma thrusters after switching to a backup fuel line.

The Psyche mission, costing $1.4 billion, is equipped with four electric thrusters powered by xenon gas. These thrusters are part of a solar electric propulsion system that is more fuel efficient than traditional rocket thrusters. The system works by ionizing xenon gas through an electromagnetic field and expelling the ions at high speeds to generate thrust.

Although plasma engines produce lower thrust compared to chemical rocket engines, they can accumulate significant run time over a mission's duration, allowing a spacecraft to make necessary velocity adjustments during its journey through space.

Launched in October 2023, Psyche is on a six-year voyage to an asteroid located between Mars and Jupiter. The mission encountered an issue on April 1 when a drop in pressure was detected in the xenon fuel line supplying the thrusters, leading to the thrusters being powered off.

Back in action

Despite the setback, the electric thrusters offer flexibility, allowing the spacecraft to remain powered off without affecting its scheduled arrival at asteroid Psyche in August 2029. Additionally, the spacecraft's propulsion system includes a backup fuel line. Ground controllers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory successfully commanded the probe to switch to the backup line, with test burns confirming the thrusters are functioning properly. NASA has reported that the spacecraft has resumed 'full thruster operations' as of Monday.