NASA's Psyche Spacecraft Captures Stunning Mars Images During Gravity Assist Flyby
On May 15, 2024, NASA's Psyche spacecraft, which was launched on October 13, 2023, conducted a flyby of Mars, coming within 2,864 miles of the planet's surface. This maneuver provided a gravity assist that boosted its velocity by 1,000 miles per hour, with the goal of reaching the metallic asteroid Psyche by the summer of 2029. During its journey, Psyche captured thousands of images, including those of the Huygens crater and Syrtis Major, to evaluate its instruments. Additionally, other Martian missions gathered data for comparative analysis. Notably, Psyche's magnetometers might have identified a solar wind 'bow shock,' and the spacecraft also searched for satellites orbiting Mars. The asteroid, measuring approximately 173 miles in diameter, is abundant in metals and silicates, and Psyche will spend two years analyzing its composition.
Key facts
- Psyche spacecraft flew by Mars on May 15, 2024, at a distance of 2,864 miles.
- Gravity assist increased speed by 1,000 mph without propellant.
- Spacecraft is on course to reach asteroid Psyche in summer 2029.
- Psyche launched on October 13, 2023, from Kennedy Space Center.
- Asteroid Psyche is 173 miles wide, located in main asteroid belt.
- Asteroid is 30-60% metal, possibly a planetesimal core.
- Images captured include Huygens crater, Syrtis Major, and south pole ice cap.
- Other spacecraft (Curiosity, Perseverance, MRO, Mars Express) collected comparative data.
- Magnetometers may have detected bow shock; satellite search conducted.
- Mission will orbit asteroid for two years, mapping composition.
Entities
Institutions
- NASA
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- University of California, Berkeley
- Arizona State University
- European Space Agency
- Mars Express
- Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
- Curiosity
- Perseverance
- Smithsonian magazine
Locations
- Mars
- Jupiter
- Kennedy Space Center
- Florida
- Syrtis Major
- Huygens crater
- South Pole