NASA's Lucy mission to Jupiter's Trojan asteroids

[Rick]

NASA, ULA Launch Lucy Mission to 'Fossils' of Planet Formation (16th October 2021)

NASA's Lucy mission, the agency's first to Jupiter's Trojan asteroids, launched at 5:34 a.m. EDT Saturday Oct. 16, 2021,  on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

More: https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-ula-launch-lucy-mission-to-fossils-of-planet-formation

[Rick]

Lucy Spacecraft Healthy; Solar Arrays Being Analyzed (17th October 2021)

Following a successful launch on Oct. 16, 2021, analysis of NASA's Lucy spacecraft systems show the spacecraft is operating well and is stable. Lucy's two solar arrays have deployed, and both are producing power and the battery is charging. While one of the arrays has latched, indications are that the second array may not be fully latched.

More: https://blogs.nasa.gov/lucy/2021/10/17/lucy-spacecraft-healthy-solar-arrays-being-analyzed/

[Rick]

Engineers investigating iffy solar array latch on NASA's Lucy as probe begins long journey to Trojan asteroids (18th Oct 2021)

NASA's Lucy is on its way to the Trojan asteroids, but engineers have already spotted a problem with one of the probe's 7.3-metre solar arrays.

The spacecraft was sent on its way from Cape Canaveral's Space Force Station's SLC-41 pad on Saturday atop an Atlas V rocket. The mission is set to last 12 years, over which the probe, dubbed "Lucy" (named for the fossilised skeleton of an early hominin ancestor), will fly past one main-belt asteroid and seven Trojan asteroids.

More: https://www.theregister.com/2021/10/18/lucy_solar_array_issue/

[Rick]

NASA's Lucy Mission Is "Go" for Solar Array Deployment Attempt

On April 18, NASA decided to move forward with plans to complete the deployment of the Lucy spacecraft's stalled, unlatched solar array. The spacecraft is powered by two large arrays of solar cells that were designed to unfold and latch into place after launch. One of the fan-like arrays opened as planned, but the other stopped just short of completing this operation.

Through a combination of rigorous in-flight solar array characterization and ground testing, Lucy engineers determined the unlatched solar array is nearly fully open, positioned at approximately 345 out of the full 360 degrees, and is producing ample energy for the spacecraft. Nonetheless, the team is concerned about potential damage to the array if the spacecraft conducts a main engine burn in its present configuration.

More: https://blogs.nasa.gov/lucy/2022/04/21/nasas-lucy-mission-is-go-for-solar-array-deployment-attempt/

[Rick]

How to watch Jupiter-bound NASA probe's gravity assist flyby from Earth

Space watchers hoping to get a glimpse of a near-Earth object of the NASA kind will want to look to the skies this weekend as Jupiter-bound probe Lucy makes a close pass of our planet for a gravity assist, just in time for its first anniversary.

Launched last year on October 12, Lucy will pass just 490 miles (790 km) above the Earth on Sunday, October 16.

That means skygazers in north western Australia should be able to see Lucy with the naked eye for a few minutes beginning at 1055 until 1102 UTC (from 1855 AWST or 2025 ACST.)

More: https://www.theregister.com/2022/10/16/nasas_lucy_set_for_sunday/

[Rick]

Spot The Spacecraft

 During most of the spacecraft's approach it will be hidden by the glare of the Sun. However, just before closest approach, there will be a brief period where Lucy will cross the terminator and travel over the nighttime side of the Earth while still being illuminated by the Sun. Then the spacecraft will pass into the Earth's shadow, disappearing from view. Lucy will reemerge from shadow and be visible by observers with binoculars. As Lucy rapidly returns to deep space it may be visible with a telescope for another day (or more with a large telescope).

More: http://lucy.swri.edu/SpotTheSpacecraft-EGA1.html

(Not much use for us here in the northern hemisphere, but if you are in the antipodes tonight...  )

[Rick]

NASA's Lucy probe dodges space traffic around Earth in gravity-assist flyby

NASA's Lucy spacecraft has successfully performed its first gravity-assist flyby of Earth, dodging tens of thousands of satellites and bits of debris.

To get Lucy closer to the Trojans, mission control will have the spacecraft perform multiple gravity assists around Earth to put it on a path toward Jupiter. NASA successfully completed the first one on October 16. Lucy came just 351 kilometres from Earth's surface, bringing it closer than most orbiting spacecraft, such as the International Space Station.

More: https://www.theregister.com/2022/10/17/nasas_lucy_spacecraft_successfully_dodged/

[Rick]

Lucy asteroid probe forced to limp on without full solar array

NASA's Lucy spacecraft will have to soldier on to reach eight asteroids within Jupiter's orbit – a journey expected to last 12 years – with a glitch in one of its solar arrays for now.

Launched in October last year, the probe failed to fully latch one of its two solar arrays properly shortly after it left Earth. The panels, stretching seven meters across, are designed to fold out like a fan spread across 360 degrees. One solar array, however, hasn't quite opened all the way.

More: https://www.theregister.com/2023/01/24/nasa_lucy_probe/