<h5>What is NASA’s Lucy Mission?</h5><p>NASA’s Lucy is the first space mission to investigate the Jupiter Trojan asteroids. &nbsp;They are a group of tiny asteroids stuck in orbits around but not close to Jupiter. They are said to be early solar system leftovers. One group of Trojan asteroids moves ahead of Jupiter, while another follows behind.</p><p>The Lucy spacecraft was launched in October 2021. It will explore two asteroids in the solar system's main asteroid belt and eight Trojan asteroids throughout its 12-year mission (2021-2033).</p><div class="raw-html-embed"><figure> <video width="100%" controls=""> <source src="https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/newsahoot.appspot.com/o/nasa-s-lucy-spacecraft-flies-by-asteroid-dinkinesh%2FLucy%20NASA.mp4?alt=media&amp;token=9f306a67-6f59-4dbd-89d0-9c331ee414fc&amp;_gl=1*1jec4mw*_ga*MTIzNjQ0ODg2NS4xNjgzNzk5MjMy*_ga_CW55HF8NVT*MTY5ODkxMTQ3OC4yODguMS4xNjk4OTEyNjExLjYwLjAuMA.." type="video/mp4"> </video> <figcaption>A video about the Lucy mission. Video by NASA Solar System.</figcaption> </figure></div><h5>Where is the Lucy spacecraft currently?</h5><figure class="image"><img src="https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/newsahoot.appspot.com/o/nasa-s-lucy-spacecraft-flies-by-asteroid-dinkinesh%2FTeam%20Lucy.jpg?alt=media&amp;token=19aa0121-a4a2-4ca2-a84b-af9b81fefc95&amp;_gl=1*17obe7t*_ga*MTIzNjQ0ODg2NS4xNjgzNzk5MjMy*_ga_CW55HF8NVT*MTY5ODkxMTQ3OC4yODguMS4xNjk4OTEyMjkzLjQ3LjAuMA.."><figcaption>NASA’s science team monitoring the Lucy spacecraft. Photo by NASA Solar System.</figcaption></figure><p>On 1st November 2023, the Lucy spacecraft made its first flyby of a small asteroid named Dinkinesh. Lucy's flyby of Dinkinesh was planned to test the spacecraft's equipment before it moved towards the Trojan asteroids.</p><p>Following this important test, Lucy will return to Earth in December 2024 for a gravity assist. This push will help the spacecraft fly by another asteroid before moving towards the Trojan asteroids.</p><p>Lucy’s first Trojan asteroid flyby will happen in 2027. Dinkinesh is not a Trojan asteroid. It is an asteroid in the main asteroid belt that orbits between Mars and Jupiter and is very far from Earth.</p><h5>What are the Trojan asteroids?</h5><p>Scientists say the Trojan asteroids are most likely remains of the same material from which the outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) of the solar system were formed. So, these asteroids can provide crucial information regarding our solar system's history.</p><p>It can also provide information about how all the planets, including Earth, formed and developed. These asteroids also have different surface compositions. This shows that they formed in different parts of the solar system and moved to their current location later.</p><p>For billions of years, these asteroids have been trapped in Jupiter's orbit around the Sun. The Lucy spacecraft has various equipment to help study the asteroids.</p><h5>What equipment does the Lucy spacecraft have?</h5><p>The equipment includes a high-resolution camera to capture images of the asteroids. There’s another piece of equipment that will help search the surface of the Trojan asteroids to find organic compounds, ice, etc. This equipment will also help understand the asteroids' surface composition.</p><p>Another piece of equipment will help take temperature data at various sites on an asteroid. This data can help scientists study the physical surface features and various things about the asteroids. Lucy also has an antenna to communicate with Earth.</p><p>It has another camera to help the spacecraft navigate and track asteroids. This camera will also capture photographs of the asteroids to understand their shape.</p>

NASA’s Lucy spacecraft will study the Trojan asteroids.

NASA’s Lucy Spacecraft Flies By Asteroid Dinkinesh

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NASA’s Lucy Spacecraft Flies By Asteroid Dinkinesh

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