NASA probe uses Mars flyby on route to metal asteroid (opens in new tab)

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft was set to pass close to Mars on May 15 in a planned gravity-assist maneuver on its way to the metal-rich asteroid Psyche, in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. NASA expected Psyche to fly about 2,800 miles, or 4,500 kilometers, above Mars at 12,333 mph, or 19,848 kph, using the planet’s gravity to adjust its course and gain speed while conserving xenon propellant. The spacecraft, about the size of a small van, launched in October 2023 and is expected to reac...