IT之家 May 20 news, at this moment, a probe named Psyche is heading towards the celestial body of the same name - 16 Psyche. This asteroid is located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The scientific community speculates that its main body may be composed of precious metals, whose value on Earth would even exceed the global economy. However, all these conjectures can only be confirmed after the probe arrives in 2029, so we can only wait patiently.

On the way to this highly valuable asteroid to explore, Psyche has also brought many surprises. It completed a significant flyby mission: a close flyby of Mars, with the closest distance only 2,864 miles (4,609 kilometers) from the Martian surface. Such an extremely close distance also allowed the probe to send back a large number of stunning images of this red planet.

The above image of Mars was taken at 8:03 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on May 15. The crescent shape of Mars in the image is due to the fact that Psyche approached Mars from a large phase angle. The phase angle refers to the angle formed between the Sun, the target Mars, and the probe.

NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) explained that the Martian atmosphere is filled with dust, and the scattering effect of dust on light caused the multi-spectral imager on the probe to observe a Martian crescent with brightness and extent beyond expectations. This imager has a unique function: it can capture both visible light images visible to the human eye and near-infrared band images — which is also the core observation field of the James Webb Space Telescope.

When the Psyche spacecraft arrives at the asteroid 16 Psyche, this multi-band imaging technology will play a key role, helping researchers clearly identify the surface topography of the asteroid. In fact, during this Mars flyby, the probe has activated a large number of specialized instruments developed specifically for asteroid exploration, to assist NASA in determining the true material composition of 16 Psyche and verifying the hypothesis of its ultra-high value worth trillions of dollars. The magnetometer on board also may have detected a bow shock near Mars, a phenomenon closely related to solar wind activity around Mars.

For now, focusing on Mars, this beautiful crescent Mars image is not the only image sent back during the probe's close flyby.

Jim Bell, the leader of the Psyche Imager project at Arizona State University, said in a statement: "We captured a massive amount of Mars approach imagery, as well as close-up views of the Martian surface and atmosphere. This precious data not only allows for precise calibration and performance testing of the camera equipment, but also enables early debugging of the first-generation image processing programs developed specifically for the exploration of the asteroid Psyche."

IT Home (IT之家) noted that NASA has since released more Mars photos taken during this flyby and stated that in the coming days, they will conduct in-depth analysis and research on this batch of Martian images.

Bell also mentioned: "After the spacecraft completes its Mars flyby, for the rest of this month, we will continue to capture calibration images of Mars as it recedes from view."

The photo above shows Mars in nearly full moon phase, with the white region on the left being the Martian south pole, clearly revealing the high-resolution appearance of this water ice-rich area. According to NASA estimates, the south polar ice cap of Mars is over 430 miles (700 kilometers) wide.

The photo below captures wind-etched streaks above Martian craters, with the longest streaks reaching up to 30 miles (50 kilometers). The craters in the image have an average diameter of approximately 50 kilometers as well.

The second image is an enhanced color image of Mars, presenting a blue overall tone, clearly showing the full view of the Huygens Crater, which is about 290 miles (470 kilometers) wide.

Why did the Psyche spacecraft (Psyche) take a detour to fly by Mars on its way to the final destination? This utilizes the gravity assist effect, a common flight leverage technique used by deep space probes traveling through the solar system.

Simply put, gravity assist involves using the gravitational pull of celestial bodies (usually planets) to alter the probe's flight trajectory and increase its speed, enabling it to accurately head toward the predetermined target. NASA confirmed that this Mars gravity assist achieved the expected effect.

Don Han, the navigation lead for the Psyche mission at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), stated: "We have confirmed that this Mars gravity assist increased the probe's speed by 1,000 miles per hour and shifted its orbital inclination relative to the Sun by about 1 degree. The probe is now on track to arrive at 16 Psyche in the summer of 2029."

Don Han also explained that the research team derived these conclusions using the Doppler effect: the wavelength of light waves from an object moving away from an observer is stretched, while the wavelength from an object moving toward an observer is compressed.

The Deep Space Network used by NASA to communicate with deep space probes precisely locates the probe's position using this effect. Additionally, the Psyche spacecraft is equipped with a new deep space laser communication system that can transmit data back to Earth via laser beams. This device is currently operating extremely well and has even successfully transmitted an image of a cat named Taters across 30 million kilometers of space.

Lindy Elkins-Tanton, the principal investigator of the Psyche mission at the University of California, Berkeley, said: "We have been looking forward to this Mars flyby for many years, and now the mission has been completed successfully. Thank you to Mars for providing the key gravitational assist to help the probe travel deeper into the solar system."

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