NASA's Psyche Mission Captures Mars' South Pole, Prepares for Asteroid Belt Journey
NASA's Psyche mission has successfully captured its first view of Mars' south pole following a close flyby on May 15, 2026. This significant milestone marks the spacecraft's closest approach to Mars, providing a nearly full view of the planet from the south polar cap to the Valles Marineris canyon system. With Mars now in its rearview mirror, the Psyche spacecraft is set to resume its journey using its solar-electric propulsion system. The mission's next major objective is to reach the main asteroid belt located between Mars and Jupiter. Upon arrival in August 2029, Psyche will enter orbit around the asteroid Psyche, believed to be the partial core of a planetesimal, which is a building block of an early planet. 
