Psyche Approaches Mars

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft approached Mars between May 2 and May 15, 2026, to perform a gravity assist. This maneuver allowed the spacecraft to gain speed and slightly tilt its trajectory. Due to a high phase angle, the planet appeared as a thin crescent in composite images captured during the approach, with sunlight reflecting off its surface. The flyby provided the mission team with a critical opportunity to prepare for subsequent phases of the journey.