NASA's Psyche spacecraft is scheduled to pass within 2,800 miles of Mars on May 15 to gain a gravitational boost toward its target asteroid. The maneuver will increase the probe's speed while allowing tests of its scientific instruments.
The flyby will occur at about 12,333 mph as the spacecraft approaches from the planet's night side. Mars will appear as a thin crescent during the encounter, providing opportunities for calibration of the multispectral imager and other tools ahead of arrival at asteroid Psyche in 2029.
