Psyche Probe to Slingshot Past Mars, Tuning Instruments En Route to Metal Asteroid

Psyche Probe to Slingshot Past Mars, Tuning Instruments En Route to Metal Asteroid

When NASA’s Psyche spacecraft skims past Mars on May 15, 2026, the gravity assist will do more than bend its path toward the asteroid belt. It will also give the mission team a rare chance to tune the spacecraft’s science instruments against a planet they already know well. The encounter’s mechanics are straightforward. Psyche is expected to pass about 2,800 miles, or 4,500 kilometers, above the Martian surface at roughly 12,333 mph, using the p…

NASA's Psyche Spacecraft Prepares for Mars Flyby

NASA's Psyche Spacecraft Prepares for Mars Flyby | Jet Propulsion LaboratoryNASA’s Psyche spacecraft will pass about 2,800 miles (4,500 kilometers) from the Martian surface at 12,328 mph (19,840 kph) on May 15, 2026. The Red Planet will provide a crucial gravity assist, enabling the spacecraft to reach its namesake destination in the main asteroid belt. Known as a gravitational slingshot, the propellant-saving maneuver harnesses Mars’ gravity to…

NASA’s Psyche Mission Captures Mars During Gravity Assist Approach - NASA Science

2 Min Read NASA’s Psyche Mission Captures Mars During Gravity Assist Approach PIA26750 Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU Photojournal Navigation Science Photojournal NASA’s Psyche Mission… Photojournal Home Photojournal Search Latest Content Galleries Feedback RSS About   Downloads NASA’s Psyche Mission Captures Mars During Gravity Assist Approach JPEG (132.38 KB) PIA26750 Figure A JPEG (105…