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Gravity Assist

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft will get a boost from Mars on Friday, May 15, passing just 2,800 miles from the planet’s surface at some 12,333 mph. The spacecraft will harness the Red Planet’s gravitational pull to speed up and adjust its trajectory toward the metal-rich asteroid Psyche, one of the more unusual objects in our solar system.

NASA's Psyche Mission Updates about Gravity Assist

Curiosity Shakes Loose a Pesky Rock

NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover used its Mast Camera, or Mastcam, to capture this view of a rock nicknamed “Atacama” on May 6, 2026, the 4,877th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. The rock had gotten stuck to the drill on the end of Curiosity’s robotic arm on April 25.

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Freedom 250

NASA Celebrates America’s 250th Birthday

Our spirit of adventure and innovation will raise our nation to new heights.

From the earliest days of exploration, to the first steps on the Moon and the missions shaping our future, NASA represents the spirit of discovery that defines our nation. As the United States approaches its semiquincentennial, Freedom 250 highlights how innovation, courage, and scientific leadership have carried America forward — and how NASA continues to expand the frontier for the next generation.

Learn More about NASA Celebrates America’s 250th Birthday
A close-up of NASA's X-59 tail showing a NASA graphic on the tail. "X-59" on the side of the jet engine, and a Freedom 250 logo toward the front of the engine.
NASA’s X-59 is helping the nation celebrate the 250th anniversary of its independence with an update to its livery – its official paint job and insignia. The X-59 has sported a Freedom 250 logo on its engine since its second flight, and it will continue showing off the new detail with every upcoming test flight.
NASA/Carla Thomas