NASA's Psyche Spacecraft Successfully Completes Mars Flyby, Captures Detailed Images
Similar Articles
NASA's Psyche Mission Successfully Completes Mars Flyby
NASA's Psyche Spacecraft to Perform Mars Flyby for Gravity Assist on May 15
NASA's Psyche Mission Captures Crescent Mars Image Ahead of Gravity Assist
NASA Mars Rovers Capture Detailed Panoramas to Study Planet's History
NASA's Perseverance Rover Captures Self-Portrait and Panorama on Deep Martian Trek
NASA's Psyche spacecraft has completed a close flyby of Mars, using the planet's gravity to adjust its course toward a metal-rich asteroid. The maneuver provided a significant speed boost and allowed the spacecraft's instruments to be calibrated, capturing thousands of images of the Martian surface. The mission remains on schedule to reach its primary target, the asteroid Psyche, in August 2029.
Facts First
- Completed a close approach of Mars on May 15, 2026, coming within 2,864 miles of the surface.
- Used a Mars gravity assist to increase speed by 1,000 mph and adjust its orbital plane without using onboard propellant.
- Captured thousands of images of the Martian surface, including the south polar cap, Huygens crater, and wind streaks in Syrtis Major.
- Is traveling toward the metal-rich asteroid Psyche in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
- Is scheduled to arrive at the asteroid in August 2029, where it will enter orbit and begin mapping and data collection.
What Happened
On May 15, 2026, NASA's Psyche spacecraft performed a close flyby of Mars, coming within 2,864 miles (4,609 kilometers) of the planet's surface. The primary purpose of the flyby was to use a gravity assist from Mars, which increased the spacecraft's speed by approximately 1,000 miles per hour and shifted its orbital plane by about 1 degree relative to the Sun. This adjustment was achieved without using the spacecraft's onboard propellant. During the approach, the mission's instruments—including imagers, magnetometers, and a gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer—were powered up for calibration. The flight team used radio signals with NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN) to confirm the new trajectory.
Why this Matters to You
This successful maneuver is a critical step in a long-term scientific mission that may help you understand the building blocks of our solar system. The asteroid Psyche is thought to be the exposed core of an early planetesimal, and studying it could provide unique insights into the violent collisions and accretion that formed Earth and other rocky planets. The data gathered during the Mars flyby also serves to calibrate the spacecraft's instruments, ensuring they will perform accurately when they reach the asteroid, which could lead to more reliable and groundbreaking scientific discoveries about our cosmic neighborhood.
What's Next
The spacecraft will now resume its journey using its solar-electric propulsion system to travel to the main asteroid belt. It is scheduled to arrive at the asteroid Psyche in August 2029. Upon arrival, the spacecraft will insert itself into orbit around the asteroid, which is approximately 173 miles (280 kilometers) across. The mission will then begin its primary science phase, mapping the asteroid through a series of circular orbits at varying altitudes and gathering data on its composition and structure. In the meantime, calibration imaging of Mars will continue for the remainder of the month as the spacecraft recedes, and the instrument teams will analyze the data collected during the flyby.