tech
NASA spacecraft to fly past Mars this week, on voyage to rare metal asteroid
A NASA spacecraft headed toward the asteroid belt will fly past Mars on Friday, aiming to get a boost from the planet's gravitational field and save some of the propellant it needs to complete the second half of a six-year voyage.
TL;DR
- The NASA Psyche spacecraft will fly past Mars on Friday to gain a gravitational assist.
- This maneuver will help the spacecraft conserve propellant and adjust its trajectory for its six-year journey to the asteroid belt.
- The target asteroid, Psyche, is described as a 'metal world' and may hold clues about the formation of planetary cores.
- The spacecraft will come within 2,800 miles of Mars, traveling at approximately 12,333 miles per hour.
- Observations of Mars will be made during the flyby, potentially creating a time-lapse video.
- The mission will also test a satellite feature that could be used to search for objects in the asteroid's orbit.
- Scientists believe the asteroid Psyche is rich in nickel and iron and could be the exposed core of a rocky planet.
- The spacecraft is expected to reach and orbit the asteroid by the end of 2029, studying its surface and composition for about two years.