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NASA’s Lucy Spacecraft Set for Asteroid Flyby En Route to Jupiter Trojans
NASA’s Lucy spacecraft is preparing for a close encounter with a minor planet this weekend as it journeys toward its primary objective: the uncharted Trojan asteroids orbiting near Jupiter. This celestial rendezvous serves as crucial preparation for the mission’s more ambitious goals.
Second Asteroid Encounter for Lucy Mission
This flyby marks the second asteroid interaction for Lucy, which commenced its voyage in 2021. The mission is designed to explore 11 distinct space rocks. These close-range observations are expected to provide scientists with valuable insights into the formative stages of our solar system, as asteroids represent remnants from that ancient epoch.
Dress Rehearsal for Trojan Asteroid Exploration
The impending flyby acts as a vital rehearsal for 2027, when Lucy is scheduled to reach its first Trojan asteroid in Jupiter’s orbit. This encounter will allow the mission team to test and calibrate instruments and procedures in advance of the more complex Trojan asteroid studies.
Observing Asteroid Donaldjohanson
On Sunday, the spacecraft will activate its suite of scientific instruments to observe the asteroid designated Donaldjohanson. This harmless asteroid will be scrutinized from a distance of 139 million miles (223 million kilometers) from Earth, situated within the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The vast distance means that each piece of data will require 12 minutes to traverse space and reach mission controllers in Colorado.
Named After Famous Fossil
Paleontologist Donald Johanson, the namesake of the asteroid, is anticipated to be present at Lockheed Martin’s Mission Control, the spacecraft’s builder and operator, to witness the event. Johanson famously unearthed the fossil “Lucy” in Ethiopia 50 years prior, inspiring the spacecraft’s name as a tribute to this pivotal human ancestor.
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Close Approach and Scientific Objectives
NASA’s Lucy will approach within 596 miles (960 kilometers) of asteroid Donaldjohanson, which is estimated to be 2 ½ miles (4 kilometers) long but considerably narrower. Scientists anticipate gaining a more precise understanding of its dimensions and configuration following this brief examination. The spacecraft will execute this flyby at a velocity exceeding 30,000 mph (48,000 kph).
Asteroid’s Origin in Ancient Collision
This asteroid is believed to be among the numerous fragments originating from a substantial collision event approximately 150 million years ago in the asteroid belt.
Uncertainty and Excitement About Asteroid’s Shape
“It’s not anticipated to be a simple potato shape, that much we are confident of,” commented Hal Levison, the mission’s lead scientist from the Southwest Research Institute.
Levison suggested that the asteroid might exhibit a shape similar to a bowling pin or even a snowman-like formation akin to Arrokoth, the Kuiper Belt object previously explored by NASA’s New Horizons mission in 2019. Another possibility is the presence of two elongated, separate asteroids positioned far apart.
“The truth is, we are uncertain about what we will observe, and that element of the unknown is part of the excitement,” he added.
Data Acquisition During Flyby
Communication with Lucy will be temporarily suspended during the flyby as the spacecraft orients its antenna away from Earth to maintain focus on tracking the asteroid. Levison anticipates receiving the majority of the scientific data within 24 hours of the encounter.
Journey to the Trojan Asteroids: The Main Mission
Lucy’s subsequent destination – “the central focus,” according to Levison – is the population of Trojan asteroids that share Jupiter’s orbital path around the Sun. These swarms of Trojans are located both ahead of and behind the solar system’s largest planet as it orbits the Sun. Lucy is scheduled to investigate eight of these Trojan asteroids between 2027 and 2033, including some binary pairs.
Previous Flyby of Dinkinesh
Lucy’s inaugural asteroid flyby occurred in 2023 when it passed by the minor asteroid Dinkinesh, also located in the main asteroid belt. During this encounter, the spacecraft made a surprising discovery: Dinkinesh possesses a miniature moon.