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NASA’s Psyche spacecraft to use a Mars gravity assist with a close flyby May 15

NASA’s Psyche solar-electric asteroid probe, launched Oct. 13, 2023, will fly within 3,000 miles of Mars on May 15 to gain energy for its journey to the metallic asteroid Psyche. Mission planners will leverage Mars’ gravity alongside xenon-fueled propulsion to shape the interplanetary trajectory.

Discovered 2026-05-11T08:25:20.749152-07:00 | 2026-05-11T08:25:20.749152-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • The May 15 Mars gravity assist is a key trajectory event for Psyche’s solar-electric, xenon-propelled cruise—directly impacting the mission’s ability to reach the metallic-asteroid target.
  • For executives tracking deep-space mission execution, the update underscores how NASA manages high-cost interplanetary navigation with gravity assists rather than relying solely on onboard thrust.
  • This adds to the broader portfolio of NASA mission planning decisions and operational readiness themes highlighted in recent coverage such as NASA’s deep-space architecture shifts (NASA shelves Lunar Gateway… and unveils nuclear Mars demonstrator).

Reported By

science.nasa.gov dailygalaxy.com orbitaltoday.com Science Alert Associated Press Times of India
Sources Tracked
14
First Seen
2026-05-11T08:25:20.749152-07:00
Latest Update
2026-05-18T19:03:56.137958-07:00
Coverage
Space

Sources

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