Last Updated on May 9, 2026 by Jaspreet Kaur
The NASA Psyche spacecraft is getting close to a moment in its long trip through space. On May 15 the spacecraft will fly close to Mars just about 2,800 miles above the planet. When it does, the Psyche spacecraft will use Mars gravity to pick up speed and change its path to get to the metal asteroid Psyche, which’s where it is going.
The Psyche spacecraft started its trip in October 2023. It is going to be one of the things in our solar system. People think the asteroid Psyche has a lot of metal in it and might even be the center of a planet that is not there anymore.
The trip to Mars is not a shortcut. Scientists also think it is a chance to test the spacecraft’s tools before it gets to the asteroid in 2029.
Gravity Boost
The Psyche spacecraft uses sunlight to move. It does not use rocket fuel. Instead it uses a gas called xenon and slowly gets faster over time.
It takes a lot of energy to travel through space. To save fuel the people in charge of the mission planned the spacecraft route to include a gravity boost from Mars.
When the Psyche spacecraft flies past Mars at 12,333 miles per hour Mars gravity will pull on it and change its speed and direction. This is like a slingshot that helps the spacecraft travel without using as much fuel.
NASA says the flyby will help the Psyche spacecraft get to the asteroid Psyche in the asteroid belt.
The people in charge of the mission just finished a 12-hour test to make sure the spacecraft is ready for the encounter. Everything is on schedule now.
Watching Mars
The flyby will also let scientists take some pictures of Mars using the Psyche spacecraft’s special camera and other tools.
The spacecraft already started sending back pictures of Mars in May. It is going to take a lot of pictures when it gets closer.
Scientists are going to make a video of the encounter after they fix the pictures to make them look better.
Mars is not going to look like the red planet we usually see. The Psyche spacecraft is coming from the side of Mars that’s not in the sunlight so only a little bit of sunlight will be visible.
Scientists think this could make for some cool pictures. It will also help them test the spacecraft’s cameras.
The flyby might even help scientists find a ring around Mars that is made of dust. When tiny rocks hit the moons of Mars they might send dust into space. Make a ring.
Testing Instruments
The trip to Mars is like a practice run for the Psyche spacecraft mission to the asteroid.
The spacecraft’s camera is going to look for moons around Mars. This will help scientists get ready to look for moons around the asteroid Psyche
Other tools on the spacecraft will be working during the encounter too. The Psyche spacecraft’s magnetometer will study how Mars’ magnetic field works with particles from the sun.
Scientists say these tests are really important because this is the time the spacecraft’s tools will be used on a big planet instead of just looking at stars and small points of light.
Journey Ahead
After the Psyche spacecraft flies by Mars it will keep going to the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It should get to the asteroid Psyche in 2029.
NASAs special network will track the spacecraft’s signals during the flyby. Scientists can use these signals to see if Mars changed the spacecraft’s speed and path.
Other spacecraft that are already around Mars will help observe the event and make sure the Psyche spacecraft is on the path.
Even though the main reason for the flyby is to help the Psyche spacecraft get to its target, scientists are excited about what they might learn along the way.
The encounter is a step in one of NASAs biggest missions to learn about how planets were made and the secrets of our solar system.