A NASA spacecraft is poised for a close flyby of Mars this week, using the Red Planet's gravity to gain a crucial boost toward a rare metal asteroid. The robotic explorer, named Psyche after the asteroid it is pursuing, will slingshot past Mars on Friday at an impressive speed of 12,333 mph (19,848 kph).
Close Encounter with Mars
During the flyby, Psyche will pass within just 2,800 miles (4,500 kilometers) of Mars—a distance comparable to the width of the United States. The spacecraft will capture thousands of images during this maneuver, serving as vital practice for its primary encounter with the asteroid in 2029. After the flyby, Psyche will continue its journey toward the asteroid belt situated between Mars and Jupiter, where its metallic namesake awaits.
All of the spacecraft's science instruments will be active during the Mars pass. NASA's two Mars rovers, along with a small fleet of U.S. and European orbiters, will make simultaneous surface and atmospheric observations for comparison.
Imaging and Observations
Psyche's cameras are already photographing Mars, capturing it as a crescent on approach and a nearly full sphere once it is in the rearview mirror. These different views will serve a dual purpose: allowing operators to fine-tune their instruments while providing what Arizona State University's Jim Bell, the imaging team leader, described as 'just plain beautiful photos.'
The Target: Asteroid Psyche
While the asteroid belt contains millions of objects, most are composed of rock or ice. Only a small percentage are thought to be metal-rich like Psyche, a potato-shaped asteroid approximately 173 miles (278 kilometers) long and 144 miles (232 kilometers) wide. Scientists suspect that Psyche may be the exposed nickel and iron core of a fledgling planet that was stripped down by cosmic collisions. Studying such an object up close could yield information about the dawn of our solar system 4.6 billion years ago and why and how Earth spawned life.
Journey and Arrival
Launched in 2023, the spacecraft is midway through its six-year roundabout journey to Psyche in the outer fringes of the asteroid belt, three times farther from the sun than Earth. It should arrive in 2029, slipping into orbit around the asteroid for two years of study. The van-sized spacecraft runs on solar electric propulsion, using xenon gas thrusters.
