During spacecraft work prior to launch, Lucy's solar panels were unfurled. Lucy will be the first solar-powered spacecraft that ventures farthest from sun.
Officials from NASA said that although the solar panels of a new NASA spacecraft are having a problem, the probe is not in immediate danger.
About an hour after its launch, the Lucy spacecraft launched on Saturday, Oct. 16. It was atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The panels began to unfold around one hour later. Although everything seemed to be going smoothly at the time, it appears that one of the large circular panels measuring nearly 24 feet (7 metres) in width didn't secure itself properly.
In a tweet, Thomas Zurbuchen (NASA's associate administrator of science), wrote that NASA's #LucyMission was safe and stable. "Both solar arrays are deployed. However, one might not be fully secured. The team is currently analyzing data to determine the next steps. This team has already overcome many obstacles and I'm confident that they will succeed here.
Related: NASA's Lucy spacecraft will visit 8 asteroids
The spacecraft's ambitious mission is made possible by Lucy's solar panels. Its goal is to give scientists their first ever up-close view of asteroids orbiting in the same orbit as Jupiter. These are called the Trojans. It will be breaking the record for spacecrafts that have run entirely on solar power when Lucy makes its flybys.
NASA is currently reviewing the situation in order to decide how to proceed. According to an agency statement that noted that all other systems on the spacecraft are operating as expected.
According to the statement, Lucy's two solar arrays are now operational and producing power. The battery is also charging. "While one array has latched, there are indications that the second array may not have fully latched."
The agency stressed that Lucy is not in immediate danger.
The statement states that Lucy can continue to function in the current spacecraft attitude without any threat to its safety or health. "The team is currently analyzing the spacecraft data in order to understand the situation and determine the next steps to fully deploy the solar array.
Lucy would always stay close to Earth after launch. The first task of the spacecraft is to fly by Earth twice to give it the speed needed to reach the outer solar systems. In 2025, the spacecraft will make its first flyby of an asteroid in its main-belt region.
Lucy will have seen eight asteroids in total by 2033. Seven of these are believed to be belonging to the mysterious Trojans. Scientists hope the data will allow them to better understand the diversity of these asteroids, and also the early days of the solar system.
