Mars in the Rearview Mirror: NASA's Psyche Spacecraft Proves Its Mettle The NASA Psyche spacecraft has completed a highly successful flyby of Mars, using the Red Planet's gravity to gain speed and adjust its trajectory for the 2029 encounter with a metal rich asteroid.
This carefully planned maneuver provided a valuable boost and allowed scientists to test their instruments around a well studied planet. The flyby was always intended as a crucial step in Psyche's journey.
By leveraging Mars' gravity, the spacecraft gained a speed boost and made a slight adjustment to its path.