NASA's Psyche spacecraft successfully performed a gravity-assist flyby of Mars, gaining a 1,000 mph speed boost and adjusting its trajectory toward the metal-rich asteroid Psyche. The mission, launched in October 2023, is on track to reach its target in the asteroid belt by 2029. The flyby also served as an opportunity to test the spacecraft's scientific instruments during the long journey.
Background
The Psyche mission is NASA's first to explore a metal-rich asteroid, which could provide insights into the early solar system. The spacecraft uses solar-electric propulsion and will study the asteroid Psyche, thought to be the exposed core of a protoplanet.
- Source
- Ars Technica
- Published
- May 21, 2026 at 05:26 AM
- Score
- 7.0 / 10