NASA's Psyche spacecraft just got an assist from Mars on the way to its asteroid namesake
NASA's Psyche spacecraft successfully performed a gravity assist flyby of Mars on its way to the asteroid 16 Psyche. This maneuver allowed the spacecraft to conserve fuel and adjust its trajectory towards its target. Psyche is expected to reach the asteroid in July 2029 to study its composition and provide insights into planetary formation.
- ▪Psyche flew within 2,800 miles of Mars, gaining a speed boost of 12,300 mph.
- ▪The spacecraft's cameras captured images of Mars during its flyby, which will be shared in the coming days.
- ▪Psyche began its journey in late 2023 and will spend two years orbiting the asteroid to collect data.
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Tomorrow Space NASA's Psyche spacecraft just got an assist from Mars on the way to its asteroid namesake By Mariella Moon May 16, 2026 11:21 am EST NASA NASA's Psyche spacecraft has just flown closer to Mars than the planet's own moons en route to the metallic asteroid 16 Psyche. It was a planned maneuver so that the spacecraft can get gravity assist from the red planet and conserve fuel, specifically the xenon gas propellant its solar-electric ion thruster system uses. The flyby gave Psyche a speed boost and changed its trajectory so that it's now aligned with its target asteroid's orbit around the sun. With a speed of 12,300 mph, Psyche passed within 2,800 miles of the planet in its closest approach at approximately half past 3PM Eastern time on May 15.
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