NASA’s Psyche Spacecraft Reveals New Insights on Familiar World

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft got close to Mars. This happened on May 15, 2026. It took photos of the planet from a special angle. Mars looked like a thin crescent shape. Dust clouds were visible above its surface.

Psyche’s cameras took many pictures of Mars’ southern ice cap. Jim Bell, a scientist at Arizona State University, leads the team that uses these cameras. He said they will help scientists learn about the cameras’ performance.

Psyche’s instruments might have noticed the solar wind. This is a flow of charged particles from the Sun. It may have interacted with Mars’ atmosphere. The spacecraft also measured the chemical makeup of the Martian surface.

Many other missions study Mars now. This means there may not be big surprises in Psyche’s data. However, scientists will use Psyche’s photos with older Mars data to improve their understanding.

The Psyche mission will truly shine in three years. The spacecraft will approach asteroid Psyche. This asteroid is large and rich in metals. Scientists want to learn more about it. The spacecraft will have plenty of time to study it.

How much do you know?

When did NASA's Psyche spacecraft get close to Mars?

May 15, 2025

May 15, 2026

May 15, 2027

May 15, 2028

Who leads the team that uses Psyche's cameras?

Ellen Stofan

Jim Bell

Elon Musk

Neil deGrasse Tyson

What shape did Mars look like when photographed by Psyche?

Round

Thin crescent

Square

Triangular

What might Psyche's instruments have noticed?

Martian storms

Solar wind

Earthquakes

Satellites

What will the Psyche spacecraft approach in three years?

Mars

Earth

Asteroid Psyche

Jupiter

Which of the following is true about the Psyche mission?

It is the first mission to Mars

It studies an asteroid

It is a manned mission

It was launched in 2021

Psyche's cameras took photos of Mars' southern ice cap.

True False

The spacecraft will not be able to study asteroid Psyche.

True False

Psyche's instruments measured the chemical makeup of the Martian atmosphere.

True False

Scientists believe there may not be big surprises in Psyche's data.

True False

Dust clouds were not visible above Mars' surface in the photos taken by Psyche.

True False

The Psyche mission will last for five years.

True False

NASA's Psyche spacecraft got close to Mars on May 15, .

The shape of Mars in the pictures taken by Psyche was a thin crescent .

Jim Bell, a scientist at Arizona State University, leads the team using Psyche's .

Psyche's instruments might have noticed the solar wind, which is a flow of particles.

The Psyche mission will approach asteroid in three years.

Scientists will use Psyche's photos with older Mars data to improve their understanding.

This question is required