Psyche uses Mars flyby to adjust course toward metal-rich asteroid
NASA’s Psyche spacecraft has completed a gravity-assist flyby of Mars, an important step on its journey to the asteroid that gives the mission its name.
NASA’s Psyche spacecraft has completed a gravity-assist flyby of Mars, an important step on its journey to the asteroid that gives the mission its name.
The spacecraft passed approximately 4,609 kilometres from Mars on May 15. The encounter used the planet’s gravity to change Psyche’s speed and flight path while conserving propulsion resources.
The mission also used the approach to practise imaging operations. Psyche is travelling toward a metal-rich asteroid, with arrival planned for 2029. Studying that world is intended to improve understanding of the materials and processes involved in the formation of planets.
