On top of significantly increasing Psyche’s overall cost, the delay means that yet another payload meant to launch on SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket in 2022 (or earlier will) has slipped to 2023.

The second Falcon Heavy Block 5 followed suit in June 2019 with a rideshare mission that doubled as a complex test flight that ultimately allowed the US military to certify the rocket to launch its most valuable satellites.

Within the last few weeks, USSF-44 – meant to launch as early as June 2022 after years of delays – was “delayed indefinitely.” Delayed from Q3 2020, USSF-52 is now scheduled to launch in October 2022.

ViaSat-3, once meant to launch on Falcon Heavy in 2020, is now NET September 2022.

Jupiter-3, a record-breaking communications satellite that wasn’t actually confirmed to be a Falcon Heavy launch contract until a few weeks ago, recently slipped from 2021 and 2022 to early 2023.”.

According to NASA, the best possible backup launch window in 2023 will now delay orbital insertion to 2029 or even 2030, effectively doubling the Psyche spacecraft’s cruise time.