NASA’s Psyche Mission to Fly by Mars for Gravity Assist

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft is set to perform a gravity assist maneuver by flying close to Mars on Friday, May 15, 2026. This maneuver will harness Mars‘ gravitational pull to accelerate the spacecraft on its journey to the metal-rich asteroid Psyche, one of the more unusual objects in our solar system. The Psyche mission aims to study this asteroid, which is thought to be the exposed core of a protoplanet, providing insights into the building blocks of planet formation. The spacecraft is scheduled to arrive at Psyche in 2029. This flyby is a crucial step in the mission, allowing the team to test the spacecraft’s systems and trajectory before the main science phase begins. The Psyche mission is part of NASA’s Discovery Program, which funds innovative, low-cost, and high-value science missions. The mission is managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, and the spacecraft was built by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the California Institute of Technology. The mission is named after the asteroid Psyche, which was discovered in 1852 and is located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The asteroid is unique because it is composed largely of metallic iron and nickel, similar to Earth’s core, making it a prime target for studying planetary formation processes. The Psyche spacecraft is equipped with a suite of scientific instruments designed to study the asteroid’s composition, topography, and magnetic field. The mission will also test new technologies for future exploration of other planetary bodies. The Psyche mission is a collaboration between NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Italian Space Agency. The mission is part of NASA’s Discovery Program, which funds innovative, low-cost, and high-value science missions. The Psyche spacecraft is scheduled to arrive at the asteroid in 2029, where it will begin its detailed study of this unique object in our solar system.