Topic: Research News
The NASA Psyche spacecraft flew by Mars on May 15, 2026. During this flyby, scientists tested the spacecraft's instruments and collected data about Mars. The mission is preparing to reach the metal-rich asteroid Psyche in 2029.
NASA's Psyche spacecraft flew by Mars on May 15, 2026.
The spacecraft used Mars' gravity to gain speed and slightly tilt its trajectory. This flyby also gave scientists an opportunity to test the spacecraft's science instruments before reaching the metal-rich asteroid Psyche in 2029.
The team was able to collect data about Mars using the spacecraft's instruments, including the imager, magnetometer, and gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer. These instruments operated precisely as designed, delivering data that match what NASA already knows about Mars.
The gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer detected neutrons escaping from Mars' surface and atmosphere. This helped scientists determine the chemical elements that make up the asteroid's surface material. The magnetometer also measured the magnetic field of Mars, which will help scientists test the idea that Psyche is a metallic core of a planetesimal.
The mission's principal investigator, Lindy Elkins-Tanton, said,
Implications
The NASA Psyche spacecraft flew by Mars on May 15, 2026. During this flyby, scientists tested the spacecraft's instruments and collected data about Mars. The mission is preparing to reach the metal-rich asteroid Psyche in 2029.
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