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APOD: 2026 July 29 – Psyche Receives Gravity Assist from Mars
In May 2026, the Psyche spacecraft used a gravity assist from Mars to increase speed and change trajectory. This event is part of its journey to reach the Psyche asteroid in 2029.
Why it matters
Gravity assists allow missions to travel further into space with less fuel. This enables the study of metal-rich asteroids that are essential building blocks for planets.
The details
- The target asteroid is believed to be largely made of metal.
- Instruments were tested during the flyby to analyze composition and magnetic fields.
- Mars has an average orbital speed of almost 87,000 km/h (54,000 mph).
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In this article
Technologies
Key connections
NASA owns and operates the Psyche spacecraft mission.
Luna 3 spacecraft mission.
NASA operates the Voyager spacecraft mission.
Psyche uses Gravity Assist
Psyche spacecraft used a gravity assist maneuver from Mars to gain speed.
NASA operated the Cassini spacecraft mission to Saturn.
Related events
May 1, 2026•122d ago
•Space Mission MilestonePsyche spacecraft receives gravity assist from Mars
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