A probe has captured stunning images of Mars on its way to a distant asteroid

psychological probe, It was launched in October 2023 on its way to the metallic asteroid it is studying, and it recently made a flyby of Mars to take advantage of its gravity and continue its path toward the asteroid belt. During the maneuver, the spacecraft obtained new images of the Red Planet.

Psyche passed within 4,609 kilometers, or 2,864 miles, of the Martian surface, and was boosted to a higher speed after completing gravity assist. During the approach, NASA activated the cameras, magnetometers, gamma rays and neutron spectrometers on board to calibrate each instrument using the planet’s atmosphere and topography.

In recent images published by the space agency, the rugged surface of Mars can be seen in detail, along with traces of solar wind rich in water ice around craters and the southern polar cap.

“We took thousands of images of the approach to Mars and of the planet’s surface and atmosphere as it approached,” said Jim Bell, head of the Psyche imaging instrument at Arizona State University. “This data set provides unique and important opportunities for us to calibrate and characterize the performance of the cameras, as well as to test early versions of our image processing tools that are being developed for use on the asteroid Psyche.”

One of the first images taken by the Psyche mission.

Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Arizona State University

According to mission scientists, after flying around Mars, the probe reached a speed of 1,600 kilometers (or 994 miles) per hour while moving in its orbit by one degree. The goal is to reach Psyche in the summer of 2029.

Close approach to Mars’ south polar cap, where water would likely be extracted.

Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Arizona State University