NASA’s LUCY
– The First Mission to the Trojan Asteroids
NASA is
about to embark on a space archaeology mission for the ages. Out in Jupiter's
orbit lies a collection of rocks known as the Trojan asteroids -- fossils from
the earliest era of our solar system. These time capsules are locked in a dance
around the sun and could hold the key to unlocking the origins of the giant
planets that was formed some 4.5 billion years ago.
Lucy will
be the first space mission to study the Trojans. The mission takes its name
from the fossilized human ancestor (recovered from Ethiopia in 1974) whose
skeleton provided unique insight into humanity's evolution. Likewise, the
Lucy mission will revolutionize our knowledge of planetary origins and the
formation of the solar system.
Lucy is
set to be launched on October 16th 2021 and, with boosts from
Earth's gravity, will complete a 12-year journey to eight different asteroids —
a Main Belt asteroid and seven Trojans. The Trojans orbit the Sun in two loose
groups, with one group leading ahead of Jupiter in its path, the other trailing
behind. All of the Trojans are thought to be abundant in dark carbon
compounds.
Lucy will
use three science instruments to study the asteroids, including colour and
black-and-white cameras, a thermometer, and an infrared imaging spectrometer to
determine the composition of the asteroids' surface materials. The spacecraft
will communicate with Earth using its antenna, which also can be used to help
determine the masses of the asteroids.
Once the
Lucy mission has finished, the spacecraft will remain in a stable orbit that
retraces the path of its exploration between Earth and Jupiter, and it won't
have a chance of colliding with either for over 100,000 years. Eventually, if
the orbit does grow unstable, it will likely head on a doomed mission to the
sun or get kicked out of our solar system.
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