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Mars Flyby

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Psyche's Mars Flyby Tests Instruments Ahead of Metal World Mission
space21 days ago

Psyche's Mars Flyby Tests Instruments Ahead of Metal World Mission

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft used a May 15, 2026 Mars flyby to test its science suite—gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer, magnetometer and multispectral imager—during a gravity assist en route to asteroid 16 Psyche. Although the gamma-ray instrument didn’t detect Mars gamma rays from that distance, it confirmed the sensor’s operation by recording a flow of escaping neutrons; the magnetometer captured Mars’ bow shock field fluctuations; and the imager provided time-lapse and high-resolution views of the planet’s south polar region and features like the Huygens crater. The flyby also feeds into broader questions about Mars’ past magnetic field and core dynamics while setting the stage for 16 Psyche’s 2029 arrival to study whether it’s the exposed core of a protoplanet.

via Futura, le média qui explore le monde|
#gamma-ray-and-neutron-spectrometer#magnetometer#mars-flyby
Mars Encounter Fuels Psyche’s Long Journey to a Metal World
space29 days ago

Mars Encounter Fuels Psyche’s Long Journey to a Metal World

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft flew within about 4,600 km (2,800 miles) of Mars on May 15, 2026, using the Red Planet as a gravity assist to boost speed and tilt its trajectory toward the metal-rich asteroid 16 Psyche in the asteroid belt; the flyby produced striking Mars imagery and a trippy timelapse while the mission—launched in 2023—continues toward its August 2029 rendezvous with Psyche and a suite of sensors to study its composition, gravity, and magnetic field.

via Yahoo|
#gravity-assist#mars-flyby#nasa
NASA’s Psyche uses Mars gravity assist on trek to metal-rich asteroid, shares Mars imagery
space1 month ago

NASA’s Psyche uses Mars gravity assist on trek to metal-rich asteroid, shares Mars imagery

NASA's Psyche spacecraft used a Mars gravity assist during a May flyby to accelerate on its six-year, 2.2-billion-mile journey to the metal-rich asteroid Psyche, which it is expected to reach by 2029 to study Earth's core. NASA released new Mars images from about 2,800 miles above the surface, along with a timelapse video of the encounter.

via USA Today|
#gravity-assist#mars-flyby#metal-rich-asteroid
NASA's Psyche Mission Unveils Stunning Mars Flyby Ahead of Asteroid Rendezvous
science1 month ago

NASA's Psyche Mission Unveils Stunning Mars Flyby Ahead of Asteroid Rendezvous

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft released a video and images from its May 15, 2026 Mars flyby, using the opportunity to test its science payload while a gravity assist keeps it on track toward asteroid 16 Psyche, slated for 2029. The flyby yielded detailed views of Mars—from a crescent phase to craters and the south polar ice cap—and even helped spot Phobos and Deimos. Instruments including a multispectral imager, magnetometer, and gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer operated as designed, providing calibration data and Mars science signals (including a bow-shock magnetic signature) to validate readiness for the asteroid rendezvous.

via BBC Sky at Night Magazine|
#gravity-assist#magnetometer#mars-flyby
Psyche's Mars slingshot primes a path to a metal-rich asteroid
space1 month ago

Psyche's Mars slingshot primes a path to a metal-rich asteroid

NASA's Psyche spacecraft used a May 2026 Mars gravity assist, flying about 2,864 miles above the planet to gain roughly 1,000 mph and tilt its solar-orbit trajectory toward the metal-rich asteroid 16 Psyche; the maneuver saves propellant and treats Mars as a stepping stone rather than a destination, while the mission relies on long-duration solar-electric propulsion toward a 2029 arrival.

via Space Daily|
#gravity-assist#mars-flyby#psyche-16-asteroid
Psyche’s Mars flyby primes its long-awaited asteroid rendezvous
space3 months ago

Psyche’s Mars flyby primes its long-awaited asteroid rendezvous

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft used a Mars flyby as a gravity assist to gain speed and adjust its orbit on the way to the metal-rich asteroid Psyche in 2029, while testing its science suite (a dual-camera multispectral imager, gamma-ray/neutron spectrometer, and magnetometer). The Mars encounter yielded rare imagery from a high phase angle, including a crescent view and a southern polar to Valles Marineris panorama, helping calibrate instruments ahead of the asteroid mission. The gravity assist boosted speed by about 1,000 mph and nudged the orbit by roughly 1 degree; Psyche launched in Oct 2023 and will complete a 2.2-billion-mile journey.

via Ars Technica|
#asteroid-psyche#gravity-assist#mars-flyby
Psyche's Mars flyby yields stunning images en route to a metal-rich asteroid
space3 months ago

Psyche's Mars flyby yields stunning images en route to a metal-rich asteroid

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft used Mars as a gravity assist on its way to the metal-rich asteroid 16 Psyche, flying within about 2,864 miles of the planet and capturing thousands of images with its multispectral imager. The Mars flyby provided roughly a 1,000 mph speed boost and nudged the trajectory by about a degree, keeping the 2029 arrival on track and showcasing early image processing and deep-space communications testing (DSOC).

via Space|
#16-psyche#gravity-assist#mars-flyby
Psyche Mission Uses Mars Flyby to Target Metal-Rich Asteroid
space3 months ago

Psyche Mission Uses Mars Flyby to Target Metal-Rich Asteroid

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft completed a Mars flyby on May 15, 2026, coming within 2,864 miles (4,609 km) of the planet to perform a gravity assist that boosted its speed by about 1,000 mph and nudged its orbital plane by roughly 1 degree, setting it on a course to the metal-rich asteroid Psyche in 2029. The encounter also served as a calibration run for the spacecraft’s cameras and instruments and yielded high-resolution views of Mars, including the south polar ice cap. After Mars, Psyche will resume its solar-electric propulsion-powered voyage to the main asteroid belt, where it will map and study Psyche to test whether it represents the exposed core of an early planetesimal and could reveal insights into rocky planets like Earth.

via NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) (.gov)|
#gravity-assist#mars-flyby#metal-rich-asteroid
Mars Gravity Boost Propels Psyche Toward Metal-Rich Asteroid Psyche
space3 months ago

Mars Gravity Boost Propels Psyche Toward Metal-Rich Asteroid Psyche

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft completed a Mars flyby to gain a gravity assist, receiving a ~1,000 mph speed boost and a slight shift in its orbit as it heads toward the metal-rich asteroid Psyche. The Mars encounter served as a calibration opportunity for its instruments, including cameras and spectrometers, before arriving at Psyche in mid-2029 to map and study the asteroid’s interior, potentially revealing clues about planetary cores.

via NASA (.gov)|
#asteroid-psyche#gravity-assist#mars-flyby
Psyche uses Mars as a gravity boost on its way to a metal-rich asteroid
space3 months ago

Psyche uses Mars as a gravity boost on its way to a metal-rich asteroid

NASA's Psyche spacecraft flew by Mars on May 15, 2026 to perform a gravity assist, gaining speed and reshaping its path toward the metal-rich asteroid 16 Psyche. The flyby occurred about 2,800 miles from Mars at roughly 12,333 mph and saves propellant by using the planet's gravity, helping the mission stay on track to reach 16 Psyche in July 2029, while continuing to rely on solar-electric propulsion for gradual thrust.

via Space|
#16-psyche#gravity-assist#mars-flyby