The Lucy spacecraft, during its nominal 12-year mission, will fly by and collect data from seven primitive worlds in the same orbit as Jupiter, as well as a main belt asteroid.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 54471 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 10-15-2021 09:40 PM
NASA live video
NASA's Lucy mission is scheduled to launch on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021 at 5:34 a.m. EDT (9:34 UTC) to the Trojan asteroids.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 54471 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 10-16-2021 04:32 AM
Lucy will mark the 100th launch from Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (formerly Air Force Station).
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 54471 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 10-16-2021 04:58 AM
NASA/Bill Ingalls photo
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with the Lucy spacecraft aboard is seen in this 2 minute and 30 second exposure photograph as it launches from Space Launch Complex 41, Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 54471 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 10-14-2022 01:16 AM
On Sunday (Oct. 16) at 7:04 a.m. EDT, the Lucy spacecraft will fly by Earth, passing a mere 220 miles (350 kilometers) above the planet.
At around 6:55 a.m. EDT, Lucy will first be visible to observers on the ground in Western Australia (6:55 p.m. for those observers). Lucy will quickly pass overhead, clearly visible to the naked eye for a few minutes before disappearing at 7:02 a.m. EDT as the spacecraft passes into the Earth’s shadow. Lucy will continue over the Pacific Ocean in darkness and emerge from the Earth's shadow at 7:26 a.m. EDT. If the clouds cooperate, sky watchers in the western United States should be able to get a view of Lucy with the aid of binoculars.
The public is invited to join the #WaveToLucy social media campaign by posting images of themselves waving towards the spacecraft and tagging the @NASASolarSystem account. Additionally, if you are in an area where Lucy will be visible, take a photograph of Lucy and post it to social media with the #SpotTheSpacecraft hashtag. Instructions for observing Lucy from your location are available here.
Blackarrow Member
Posts: 3833 From: Belfast, United Kingdom Registered: Feb 2002
posted 04-23-2025 11:02 AM
The 'Lucy' spacecraft has now made its second asteroid flyby, having carried out observations of main-belt asteroid Donaldjohanson from as close as 600 miles on Monday 21st April. Initial images show a twin-lobe body with an odd neck. I can't speak for the NASA controllers, but the image quality exceeded my expectations, and more will be available soon.
posted 10-15-2021 09:39 PM
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