NASA’s Psyche Mission Captures Mars During Gravity Assist Approach

This colorized image of Mars was captured by NASA’s Psyche mission on May 3, 2026, about 3 million miles (4.8 million kilometers) from the planet. The spacecraft is approaching the planet for a gravity assist on May 15 that will give it a boost in speed and adjust its trajectory toward asteroid Psyche for eventual arrival in 2029.

The spacecraft is approaching Mars from a high-phase angle, meaning that the planet appears only as a thin crescent, like our own crescent Moon seen around its new Moon phase. From this viewing geometry, the Sun is out of frame and “above” both Mars and Psyche.

Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU


For more information about the Psyche mission, read:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/psyche/
https://science.nasa.gov/photojournal/nasas-psyche-mission-captures-mars-during-gravity-assist-approach/