NASA's Psyche Spacecraft Will Use Mars to Slingshot Toward a Metal-Rich Asteroid

NASA's Psyche spacecraft will pass near Mars on May 15, 2026, using the planet's gravity as a free boost—like a slingshot—to speed up toward asteroid 16 Psyche without burning fuel. This gravity assist adjusts the spacecraft's course and speed. The probe will take photos of Mars during the close pass, then reach the asteroid in 2029.