NASA's Psyche Is About to Use Mars as a Slingshot to a Rare Metal Asteroid

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft made a close Mars flyby to gain speed on its way to the metal-rich asteroid Psyche.

The gravity assist also served as a test run, letting the spacecraft collect images and science data before arrival.

Mission teams at NASA, Arizona State University, and JPL-Caltech used the pass to check the instruments and operations.

Psyche is expected to reach its target in 2029, where it will study a rare asteroid that could offer clues to how planets formed.