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NASA's Psyche Spacecraft Captures Stunning Mars Flyby Video

NASA's Psyche Spacecraft Captures Stunning Mars Flyby Video

NASA has released a captivating video showcasing the Psyche spacecraft's flyby of Mars, which occurred in May 2026. The spacecraft, en route to the asteroid Psyche, captured detailed images of the Martian surface, including craters and the south polar ice cap. The flyby served as a gravity assist maneuver to conserve fuel and adjust the spacecraft's trajectory. It also provided an opportunity to test Psyche's scientific instruments, which performed well and delivered valuable data about Mars. The mission is part of a broader effort to study the asteroid Psyche, believed to be a metallic core of a planetesimal.
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NASA's Psyche Mission Utilizes Mars Gravity Assist for Asteroid Exploration

NASA's Psyche Mission Utilizes Mars Gravity Assist for Asteroid Exploration

NASA's Psyche spacecraft recently performed a gravity assist maneuver using Mars to gain speed and adjust its trajectory towards the metal-rich asteroid Psyche, which it is set to explore in 2029. The maneuver, conducted on May 15, 2026, involved the spacecraft flying by Mars and using the planet's gravity to increase its velocity. This operation is a critical step in the mission, allowing the spacecraft to reach its target efficiently.
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NASA's Psyche Spacecraft Captures Stunning Mars Flyby Images En Route to Asteroid

NASA's Psyche Spacecraft Captures Stunning Mars Flyby Images En Route to Asteroid

NASA has released a captivating video showcasing images captured by the Psyche spacecraft during its flyby of Mars in May 2026. The spacecraft, on a mission to study the asteroid Psyche located in the main asteroid belt, used Mars' gravitational pull to adjust its trajectory and conserve fuel. The flyby provided an opportunity to test Psyche's scientific instruments, including a multispectral imager, magnetometer, and gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer. These instruments successfully captured detailed views of Mars' surface, including craters and the south polar ice cap, while also measuring the planet's magnetic field and surface composition.
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NASA's Psyche Spacecraft Sends Back Stunning Mars Photos During Flyby

NASA's Psyche Spacecraft Sends Back Stunning Mars Photos During Flyby

NASA's Psyche spacecraft, on its mission to the asteroid belt, recently conducted a flyby of Mars, capturing a series of stunning images. The flyby, which occurred on May 15, was part of a gravity assist maneuver to alter the spacecraft's trajectory. During this time, the spacecraft's instruments collected data on Mars' atmosphere and surface, despite not being specifically designed for planetary study. The images, including a time-lapse of the flyby, reveal Mars' atmosphere glowing and provide a unique view of the planet. The mission's imaging team at Arizona State University highlighted the success of the instruments in capturing these rare views.
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NASA's Psyche Spacecraft Captures Rare Images of Mars During Flyby

NASA's Psyche Spacecraft Captures Rare Images of Mars During Flyby

NASA's Psyche spacecraft, en route to the asteroid belt, captured rare images of Mars during a flyby in May. The spacecraft utilized Mars' gravity to gain speed for its journey to the asteroid Psyche. During this maneuver, the spacecraft's imaging team captured a series of time-lapse images, revealing Mars' atmosphere glowing in a crescent shape. The images, taken from May 2 to May 31, were released as a time-lapse video, providing a unique view of the planet. The mission's instruments, including the imager, magnetometer, and gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer, collected valuable data, although no new discoveries were anticipated due to Mars' extensively studied surface.
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NASA Develops Quantum Wind Lidar for Enhanced Planetary and Earth Science Missions

NASA Develops Quantum Wind Lidar for Enhanced Planetary and Earth Science Missions

NASA is advancing a new concept for wind measurement using Quantum Wind Lidar technology, which employs compact photonic integrated chips (PICs) for space-based missions. This innovative approach utilizes phase-squeezed light sources and quantum interference phenomena to create a miniaturized, high-performance lidar receiver. The technology aims to provide precise high-altitude wind profiling of the Martian atmosphere, surpassing current ground-based methods. The project aligns with NASA's objectives in the Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey and the Earth Science Decadal Survey, with applications extending to Mars atmospheric modeling, dust storm prediction, and climate monitoring on Earth.
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NASA Hosts 2026 Exploration Science Forum to Advance Space Research

NASA Hosts 2026 Exploration Science Forum to Advance Space Research

NASA's Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) is hosting the 2026 Exploration Science Forum, an event that brings together experts from the planetary science and human exploration communities. The forum, held at NASA Ames Research Center and virtually, features discussions on the latest research and mission results related to the Moon, Near-Earth Asteroids, and the Moons of Mars. The event includes invited talks, contributed presentations, and interactive poster sessions, providing a platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange among scientists and researchers. The forum aims to explore future opportunities for discovery and advance the understanding of our solar system.
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NASA's SSERVI Forum 2026 Focuses on Lunar and Asteroid Exploration

NASA's SSERVI Forum 2026 Focuses on Lunar and Asteroid Exploration

The NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) is hosting the 2026 Exploration Science Forum at the NASA Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley. This annual event, running for three days, brings together experts from the planetary science and human exploration communities to discuss recent research, mission results, and future exploration opportunities. The forum features invited talks, contributed presentations, and interactive poster sessions, with a focus on the Moon, Near-Earth Asteroids, and the Moons of Mars. Virtual participants can access the sessions online, allowing for broader engagement with the scientific community.
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NASA's Expedition 74 Crew Prepares for Return to Earth, Transitioning Responsibilities

NASA's Expedition 74 Crew Prepares for Return to Earth, Transitioning Responsibilities

Three members of NASA's Expedition 74 are preparing to return to Earth after completing their mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). NASA astronaut Chris Williams, along with Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev, are set to undock from the ISS's Rassvet module in the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft. Their mission, which began with a launch from Kazakhstan on November 27, 2025, is nearing its conclusion as they prepare for a parachute-assisted landing in Kazakhstan. As they prepare to leave, the crew is handing over responsibilities to the new arrivals, including NASA flight engineer Anil Menon, who arrived on July 14 aboard the Soyuz MS-29. The departing crew is also involved in testing a lower body negative pressure suit designed to help them readjust to Earth's gravity. Meanwhile, the new crew members are transitioning from orientation to full-time research and lab maintenance, focusing on how microgravity affects the human body.
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NASA's EARENDIL Initiative Aims to Overcome Lunar Night Challenges for Astronauts

NASA's EARENDIL Initiative Aims to Overcome Lunar Night Challenges for Astronauts

NASA is exploring a new initiative called EARENDIL, which stands for Extended Astronaut Radioisotope-EVA in Nighttime and Deep-space Icy Landscapes. This project addresses the significant challenge of extreme cold in permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) and during the two-week lunar night on the Moon. These conditions pose severe thermal constraints on astronauts, affecting mission flexibility and safety. The EARENDIL proposal aims to integrate compact americium-241 (Am-241) radioisotope heat sources into extravehicular activity (EVA) suits. This integration would provide astronauts with continuous warmth, independent of external power sources, enhancing their ability to conduct extended surface operations in these harsh environments. The initiative is part of a Phase I study that will assess the technical and safety feasibility of this concept through thermal modeling, health physics assessment, and systems integration analysis.
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NASA's Expedition 74 Crew Prepares for Return to Earth

NASA's Expedition 74 Crew Prepares for Return to Earth

Three members of NASA's Expedition 74 are preparing to return to Earth after completing their mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). NASA astronaut Chris Williams, along with Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev, are set to undock from the Rassvet module in the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft. Their mission, which began with a launch from Kazakhstan on November 27, 2025, is nearing its end as they prepare for a parachute-assisted landing in Kazakhstan. The crew has been involved in various research activities, including testing a lower body negative pressure suit designed to help astronauts adapt to Earth's gravity after extended periods in microgravity. Meanwhile, the new crew members, including NASA flight engineer Anil Menon, are transitioning to full-time research and lab maintenance aboard the ISS.
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NASA Engineers Uncover Ancient Martian Silica Using Spirit Rover's Failed Wheel

NASA Engineers Uncover Ancient Martian Silica Using Spirit Rover's Failed Wheel

NASA's Spirit rover, which landed on Mars in January 2004, experienced a failure in its right-front wheel in March 2006. Engineers adapted by driving the rover backwards, using the immobile wheel as an excavation tool. This led to the accidental discovery of bright silica deposits near the volcanic plateau called Home Plate in Gusev Crater. The silica, identified as opaline, suggests ancient hydrothermal activity, possibly from hot springs or steam vents. The discovery required extensive follow-up analysis using various instruments, confirming the presence of silica concentrations up to 90% in some areas.