NASA's Psyche spacecraft, en route to a rare metal asteroid in the asteroid belt, has performed a gravity assist maneuver near Mars. During the flyby, the spacecraft took thousands of images of the Red Planet to test its scientific instruments ahead of its primary mission in 2029. This was reported by the Associated Press, according to UNN.
Details
NASA stated that the spacecraft flew past Mars at a speed of nearly 19,850 km/h. The distance between the spacecraft and the planet was approximately 4,500 kilometers.
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During the maneuver, all of Psyche's scientific instruments operated simultaneously. Mars was also being observed by two NASA rovers and several American and European orbiters.
The spacecraft is heading toward one of the rarest asteroids
Psyche's cameras have already transmitted images of Mars from various angles—ranging from a crescent view to a nearly full sphere.
This provides simply wonderful photographs
The primary target of the mission is the asteroid Psyche—one of the few known metal-rich space objects. Scientists believe it could be the exposed iron-nickel core of an ancient planet destroyed by collisions during the early stages of the Solar System's formation.
NASA plans to study the asteroid for two years
The asteroid is approximately 278 kilometers long and 232 kilometers wide and is located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
The Psyche spacecraft was launched in 2023. It is currently halfway through its six-year journey.
In 2029, the spacecraft is expected to enter the asteroid's orbit and begin a two-year study of the object, which could help scientists better understand the process of planetary formation and the origin of life in the Solar System.
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