NASA spacecraft Psyche makes Mars flyby on way to metal asteroid
A NASA spacecraft named Psyche is set to swing past Mars this week as it receives a gravity boost on its long journey toward a rare metal-rich asteroid. The flyby is part of a mission en route to the asteroid Psyche, which the probe is expected to reach in 2029, after a six-year journey.
The spacecraft will pass within about 2,800 miles of Mars while travelling at more than 12,000 mph, capturing thousands of images and activating all its scientific instruments during the encounter, News.Az reports, citing PBS News. The close approach will allow the mission team to test equipment while also gathering comparative data alongside NASA’s Mars rovers and orbiters. Scientists say the asteroid target may be the exposed core of a protoplanet, offering clues about the early formation of the solar system.
By Leyla Şirinova
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