Error trying to use amicroPython on Pico error "Cannot access COM6"

[/RaspberryPi]

I'm new to using Raspberry Pi's in any form, and have been trying to recreate this digital orrery build https://github.com/dr-mod/pico-solar-system as an anniversary gift but am having some troubles.
So far this is what I have done, all being done on Windows 10.
Using the same RTC and display pack as the original creator I attached them both to the Pico as he did, and when plugged into my computer via the USB (and holding the BOOTSEL) the display pack lights up so I believe it is all properly connected.
Next I downloaded the provided MicroPython build with the Pimorini libs https://github.com/pimoroni/pimoroni-pi ... -v1.15.uf2 And dragged that onto the storage location of the Pico.
It then disappeared as a storage device which as I understand is to be expected, and then when I used the latest version of Thonny and selected interpreter (Raspberry Pi Pico) and used the < try to detect port automatically > it gives me an error message when selecting the install or update firmware giving a long message that sums up to "ssl has expired".
I wasn't sure if installing or updating the firmware is required, but it gives me the prompt to every time I go to use Thonny with the Pico.
In Thonny when I press Stop at the top after selecting the Pico interpreter and ignoring the firmware update prompt/error, I do see the triple arrows to start entering code into the Pico, and have been able to make the onboard Led blink to test it previously.
Moving on trying to follow the steps of the orrery build, I installed pip and rshell successfully, as well as cloned the Solar System to my machine. But when I try to run rshell to copy it to the Pico I get the error message that it cannot connect to COM6
I tried to verify my Python path in the environment variables and it seemed okay, and at a loss as to what to try from here.
The Orrery build steps are pretty bare bones and I could be missing something basic that I overlooked. Sorry this is so long winded, I just tried to explain my steps as thoroughly as possible.
Any ideas on what I could be missing or what I can try from here?

submitted by /u/Inlarth
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