NASA Psyche Spacecraft Captures Earth, Moon Images From 290 Million Kilometers

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft, on its way to the metal-rich asteroid Psyche scheduled for arrival in 2029, recently captured long-exposure images of Earth and the Moon from approximately 180 million miles (290 million kilometers) away. These images were taken during routine instrument checkouts to calibrate Psyche’s twin multispectral imagers, which use filters and telescopic lenses to study the asteroid’s surface composition by analyzing reflected light. The mission team has also tested other instruments, including a magnetometer and gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer, confirming all systems are functioning well. Psyche previously captured images of Jupiter and Mars for calibration, and future targets for imaging tests may include Saturn and the asteroid Vesta. The spacecraft will use a gravitational assist from Mars in May 2026 to adjust its trajectory with minimal fuel use. Scientists hope the mission will reveal insights into the formation of rocky planets with metallic cores, such as Earth, by studying the asteroid thought to be the exposed core of a protoplanet.