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.