NASA spacecraft to fly past Mars this week, on voyage to rare metal asteroid
CBS News • • general
Key Points:
- NASA's Psyche spacecraft will fly past Mars on Friday to gain a gravitational boost, helping it save propellant for the second half of its six-year mission to a metal-rich asteroid in the asteroid belt.
- Psyche will pass within 2,800 miles of Mars at roughly 12,333 miles per hour, using the planet's gravity to adjust its trajectory toward the asteroid Psyche, which it aims to orbit by the end of 2029.
- During the flyby, the spacecraft will observe Mars and capture images to create a time-lapse of the encounter, with plans to test a satellite feature for future asteroid orbit observations.
- The asteroid Psyche, believed to be composed of nickel and iron, may be the exposed core of a rocky planet, offering scientists valuable insights into planetary formation and evolution.
- Once in orbit around the asteroid, Psyche will spend about two years studying its surface and composition to deepen understanding of these rare metal-rich objects in the solar system.