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You can see Mars as rarely viewed in new NASA spacecraft photos
Yahoo • • science
Key Points:
- NASA's Psyche spacecraft conducted a gravity-assist flyby of Mars in May 2026, capturing rare and detailed images of the planet's southern highlands, including craters, ridges, wind streaks, and volcanic plains.
- The spacecraft passed within about 2,800 miles of Mars' surface, using the planet's gravity to boost its speed and adjust its trajectory en route to a metal-rich asteroid named Psyche in the main asteroid belt.
- Psyche launched in October 2023 and is on a six-year, 2.2 billion-mile mission to study the asteroid Psyche, aiming to gain insights into Earth's core by analyzing the metallic asteroid.
- NASA released the processed images and a timelapse video of the flyby on July 17, 2026, highlighting the unique perspectives of Mars captured during the spacecraft's close approach.
