CAPE CANAVERAL (Fla.) NASA's newest asteroid probe Lucy launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It will embark on a 12-year mission that will study two clusters of asteroids surrounding Jupiter called Trojans.
These swarms are the last unexplored areas of asteroids in our solar system. Lucy, a robotic archaeologist will answer your questions about the formation of giant planets.
The spacecraft, which was about the size of a refrigerator, was perched on top of a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. It lit up the sky above Cape Canaveral at 5:34 AM EDT (0934 GMT), Saturday morning (Oct. 16). NASA confirmed Lucy's solar arrays were deployed just two hours after the launch and successfully called home.
Related: NASA's Lucy spacecraft will visit 8 asteroids
Image 1 of 7 An Atlas V rocket carrying NASA’s Lucy spacecraft launches in 2.5-minute exposure, captured Oct. 16, 2021. (Image credit NASA/Bill Ingalls. Image 2 of 7 The United Launch Alliance Atlas V carrying NASA’s Lucy spacecraft bound to Jupiter's Trojan asteroids launches at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, on October 16, 2021. (Image credit NASA TV) Image 3 from 7 The United Launch Alliance Atlas V carrying NASA’s Lucy spacecraft bound to Jupiter's Trojan asteroids was launched on October 16, 2021. (Image credit NASA TV) Image 4 from 7 The United Launch Alliance Atlas V containing NASA's Lucy spacecraft bound to Jupiter's Trojan asteroids was launched on October 16, 2021. Image 5 of 7 Engineers turn the Lucy spacecraft during final stage launch preparations on September 1, 2021. Image 6 of 7 NASA's new Asteroid Explorer Lucy is being prepared for launch. (Image credit NASA) Image 7 from 7 NASA's Lucy spacecraft was enclosed into its rocket fairing Sept. 30, 2021 in preparation for launch. (Image credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky)
Lucy will cruise through the solar system for six years, looping twice around Earth to gain enough momentum to reach Jupiter. In order to better understand the evolution of the solar system, the spacecraft will pass eight asteroids (seven Trojans) during its flight. Scientists believe the Trojans are well preserved cosmic time capsules. They hope to shed light on the origins of the solar system as well as how giant planets were formed.
"The reason [the Trojans] have scientific importance is because they were essentially leftovers," Hal Levison of the Southwest Research Institute told Space.com.
The Trojans, believed to be fragments from the early solar system, are gravitationally locked in stable orbits that are the same distance as Jupiter. Lucy will use a variety of scientific instruments to study the structure, geology, density, and composition of each Trojan target.
Artist's renderings of the eight asteroids NASA's Lucy mission will explore. Image credit NASA Goddard/YouTube
Space agencies from all over the globe have so far explored many small bodies, including the asteroid belt and near-Earth asteroids (using NASA's OSIRIS REx and Japan's Hayabusa missions) to the cold expanses of the Kuiper Belt.
One area is still unexplored, however: the Trojan swarms surrounding Jupiter. These two areas have seen approximately 10,000 objects, ranging in size from a few kilometers to hundreds of kilometers. The objects were first discovered more than 100 years ago by astronomers who named them after Homer's Iliad heroes. This gave the area its name, "Trojans".
Lucy in the Sky
As a tribute to Donald Johanson, a paleoanthropologist who discovered a 3.2 million-year-old hominin skull in 1974, the mission is called "Lucy". The skeleton, which was at the time the oldest and largest hominin skeleton ever discovered, revealed some secrets about human evolution. NASA's newest spacecraft Lucy was named after Lucy, in hopes that it will unlock some secrets about the evolution of the solar system.
Johanson, who was watching the launch of the Lucy mission from Florida, said that "I will never again look at Jupiter as the same." "To be here this morning was absolutely mind expanding, and it was such an enjoyable experience."
Donald Johanson, a paleoanthropologist, saw the Lucy spacecraft in July 2021. The spacecraft was almost complete when he discovered a 3-million-year old hominin. Donald Johanson, image credit
Johanson said, "You know, there are some trials in the world. Something as positive as this people should take a look at and see the creativity of human mind can do." Johanson spoke to NASA live. "And here it is, she's currently on her way and will tell us so many things. "I had goosebumps.
The name Lucy fossil was inspired by the Beatles' song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds", which was being played at the site at the time the fossil was discovered. The plaque on the spacecraft contains some of the lyrics to the song, as well as lyrics from other songs by Beatles and other artists.
Lucy will reach its first target in 2025: an asteroid located in the main belt between Mars, Jupiter and Jupiter. It is named after Johanson (Asteroid 522646 Donaldjohanson). As a practice run, the spacecraft will fly by seven Trojan asteroids. They range in size from a small moon to a large binary.
The planetary conundrum
Early theories about how the solar system was formed suggested that a protoplanetary material-rich rotating disk would contain a star. Gradually, the material would begin to condense into clumps that would eventually form the planets.
Hal Levison, a planetary scientist, tried to replicate this but ran into problems: Neptune and Uranus' orbits did not match. These two huge planets could not be built in the current orbits. Levison modified his simulation to create the Nice model for solar system evolution. This model suggests that the two giant planets were formed closer to the sun.
The increasingly eccentric orbits of Saturn and Jupiter, young Jupiter, caused the solar system to be rearranged. Uranus and Neptune were thrown into the outer solar systems. They scattered small solar system bodies as they moved outward. Asteroids and comets were scattered to the outer solar system. Some were even ejected from the solar system into the Milky Way.
A small number of scattered asteroids were caught by Jupiter's gravitational tractor beam, and they began an orbital dance at two permanent Lagrange points, which are areas of space where the orbital and gravitational influences of Jupiter and the sun are equal.
Diagram of Lucy's route among the Trojan asteroids which trail and lead Jupiter. Image credit: Southwest Research Institute
These are known as Trojan Swarms. They both lead and follow Jupiter's orbit. These asteroids are thought to be remnants of giant planets that were formed after they formed.
Levison stated, "Surprisingly the Trojans are all physically very distinct from one another, but together, they occupy a really tiny region of space." "This diverse population in such an isolated area is telling us something about the early evolutions of the solar system."
Levison stated that the team needs to find those secrets. Lucy was selected to accomplish this. It was chosen to fly in 2014 under NASA's Discovery program. This allows scientists to submit smaller missions proposals.
Lucy has multiple cameras, which can image its targets in different wavelengths to determine their geophysical properties. Scientists can use this information to determine the age of an asteroid by counting and measuring how many craters are present on its surface. (The more craters an asteroid has, the older it is.
Scientists will also examine the colors of asteroids' surface, which could provide clues into the composition of the rocks. Scientists hope to determine the composition of every asteroid using thermal measurements and infrared spectrumtra. NASA is particularly interested in finding primordial organic material on asteroids, because it may have provided Earth with the chemical elements necessary to live.
At 600 miles (970km) or less, each asteroid encounter will occur. NASA may allow an extension mission to target future asteroids and other celestial objects if the spacecraft is in good condition after the last flyby.
Spacecraft powered by solar energy
During spacecraft work prior to launch, Lucy's solar panels were unfurled. Lucy will be the first solar-powered spacecraft that ventures far from the sun. (Image credit to Lockheed Martin
Lucy will be powered by two enormous solar arrays over the course of its 12-year mission. These will expand like fans as soon as it launches. The unique looping trajectory of the spacecraft will take it further from the sun than any other solar-powered spacecraft.
This design is similar to the InSight Mars lander's design, but much more powerful. During the flight past Trojan asteroids, the solar panels will generate about 500 watts of energy. This was stated by Katie Oakman, Lucy structures lead at Lockheed Martin Space and Lucy mechanisms lead at Lockheed Martin Space.
Lucy will fly through Jovian Lagrange points, swinging back around Earth several times. Team members believe that Lucy can thrive in this loop to loop trajectory as long as it has enough fuel. In order to preserve Lucy's memories, the agency provided her with a "time capsule", which contains poetry, quotes, and lyrics. This was in the hopes that space-faring people might one day recover the spacecraft and find Lucy's treasure trove information about 21st century life.
Levison states that once Lucy has returned all data from its targets, he hopes the team can determine the origin of the Trojans. It would be consistent with Levison's theory of the formation of the solar system if data shows that they formed at different locations and were then swept into their current orbits.
However, that may not be the case. Levison stated that if the team uncovers something new, it would be a great thing. He stated that he hopes to examine the current models of solar systems formation, including his own work, and find that they aren't as simple as we thought. This will force us to start again.
Space travel
(Image credit to ULA)
Lucy's liftoff was the 100th launch made from ULA Space Launch 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. It is also the 89th launch by Atlas V and the 146th overall launch of ULA since 2006.
Saturday's flight used the 401 configuration of an Atlas V rocket. It is the simplest version. The rocket has a 4-meter payload fairing and a Centaur upper stage. There are no solid rocket boosters.
It was originally intended to carry a different payload, the Starliner crew capsule from Boeing. The spacecraft was scheduled to launch in August but was forced to stop after several valves in its propulsion system failed. Starliner was returned to Boeing's plant by engineers who were tasked with identifying the problem. The rocket was also stripped of its dual-engine Centaur upperstage in order to receive the single engine version required to launch Lucy.
Starliner won't be able launch until 2022 because of traffic at the International Space Station. The teams also need to understand what is happening with the propulsion valves.
ULA's next mission is STP-3, a rideshare mission. It will carry payloads for U.S. Space Force and launch sometime in November.
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