NASA’s Psyche spacecraft performed a close flyby of Mars on May 15, 2026, passing within 4,500 kilometers of the planet’s surface. The mission utilized a gravity assist to accelerate toward the main asteroid belt, where it is scheduled to arrive at a massive metallic asteroid in 2029.
Mars Gravity Assist and Trajectory
The Psyche spacecraft executed a strategic approach to Mars to modify its orbital path and increase its velocity without the consumption of significant fuel reserves. By utilizing the gravitational pull of the Red Planet, the spacecraft achieved a speed of up to 19,848 kilometers per hour during its closest approach.
This gravity assist serves as a propulsion mechanism, allowing the probe to accelerate toward the main asteroid belt. According to mission data, the spacecraft maintained a distance of 4,500 kilometers from the Martian surface during this maneuver. The use of planetary gravity to alter trajectory is a standard but precise method for deep-space missions to reach distant targets while preserving onboard propellant.
Scientific Calibration and Imaging
NASA utilized the Mars flyby as a technical opportunity to test and calibrate the spacecraft’s scientific suite. During the approach, the mission team programmed the spacecraft to activate all scientific instruments and perform a series of measurements.
A primary focus of this phase was the multi-spectral camera, which captured thousands of images of Mars. These images were not intended to provide standard landscape photography of the planet, but rather to calibrate the imaging system before the spacecraft reaches its final destination.
We approached Mars at a very high phase angle.
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Jim Bell, head of the Psyche imaging team at Arizona State University
The high phase angle mentioned by Bell indicates the geometric relationship between the sun, the target planet, and the spacecraft, which is a critical factor in how light reflects off the surface and is captured by the sensors. This calibration ensures that the data collected upon arrival at the target asteroid is accurate and properly scaled.
Target Asteroid and Mission Objectives
The ultimate destination of the mission is a giant metallic asteroid also named Psyche, located within the main asteroid belt. Scientists suspect that this asteroid is the exposed core of an ancient proto-planet. If verified, the study of this body would provide direct evidence of the conditions that existed during the early formation of planetary cores, which are otherwise inaccessible deep within the interiors of planets like Earth.
To maintain power during its long-duration search and transit through the outer reaches of the inner solar system, the Psyche spacecraft is equipped with giant solar panels. These panels provide the necessary energy to operate the onboard instruments and communication systems.
The spacecraft is currently on a trajectory that will bring it to the metallic asteroid in 2029. Until then, the mission continues its transit, having used the May 15 encounter with Mars to ensure its systems are fully operational for the final phase of the journey.
