NASA’s Psyche spacecraft will fly past Mars on May 15, 2026, using the planet’s gravity to accelerate toward asteroid Psyche.

A NASA spacecraft chasing a rare metal asteroid is swinging past Mars for a gravity boost. The Psyche spacecraft will slingshot past the red planet at more than 12,000 mph Friday.

NASA's Psyche spacecraft will slingshot past Mars on Friday, on its way toward a rare metal-rich asteroid.