Mars Flyby Sends NASA’s Psyche Probe Toward A Metal-Rich Asteroid

critical milestone on its journey into deep space. Launched back in October, 2023 at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, it has been cruising through the inner solar system until May 15, 2026. The mission of the spacecraft is to study Asteroid 16 Psyche.

On that particular day, the spacecraft got catapulted through space with the help of Mars. The physics behind the “catapult” or rather the gravity assist is actually very commonly found. Picture a tennis ball and a train. While train is moving, you chuck the tennis ball onto the roof of the train and the ball will go faster. This is known as orbital mechanics and the transfer of momentum. On May 15, 2026, Mars was the spinner, its gravity was the string, and the rock was the Psyche Spacecraft.

While undertaking gravity assist, the spacecraft collected pictures of Mars with its paired redundant cameras. The NASA engineers designed the spacecraft to have two cameras in case one breaks. The two cameras, Camera A and Camera B, sit next to other on Psyche with Camera A pointed straight and Camera B at a 3.7-degree downward tilt.

After surviving the Mars flyby, the spacecraft’s ultimate goal is to put those dual cameras to work at a truly titanic destination. Asteroid 16 Psyche is the largest known metal-dense asteroid in the solar system. It single-handedly accounts for 1% of the total mass in the asteroid belt. The cross-sectional area is roughly the same as Switzerland! However, the scientific-dense Psyche spacecraft is only the size of a tennis court, therefore the spacecraft will spend 26 months studying and taking photos of the asteroid.