NASA's Psyche spacecraft returns unfamiliar views of a familiar world
5 hours ago
- #asteroid mission
- #space exploration
- #NASA
- NASA's Psyche spacecraft performed a Mars flyby to gain speed via a gravitational slingshot.
- The mission, launched in October 2023, is en route to the metal-rich asteroid Psyche, set to arrive in 2029.
- During the flyby, the spacecraft tested its three science instruments as a rehearsal for asteroid operations.
- The gravity assist increased the probe's speed by 1,000 mph and altered its orbital plane by about 1 degree.
- Psyche uses plasma engines for propulsion on its 2.2-billion-mile journey through the asteroid belt.