NASA’s Lucy spacecraft is about to visit its first asteroid

NASA’s Lucy spacecraft is on the brink of its first encounter with an asteroid, Dinkinesh, scheduled for November 1. Dinkinesh is situated in the primary asteroid belt, positioned between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

During this rendezvous, Lucy will pass within 430 kilometers of the small asteroid, Dinkinesh. Measuring less than one kilometer in width, Dinkinesh is so diminutive that it is barely observable from Earth. This flyby presents a unique opportunity to capture the first images of this asteroid and also serves as a test of the tracking system that keeps asteroids within the spacecraft’s cameras’ field of view. This system is vital due to the diminutive size of the asteroids Lucy encounters and the rapid velocity of the spacecraft as it traverses these celestial objects.

The choice of asteroid Dinkinesh is significant in ensuring that all of Lucy’s scientific instruments are operating optimally for the subsequent observations of the nine other asteroids that constitute the primary portion of its mission.

These other asteroids, known as Trojans, orbit the sun alongside Jupiter and are considered remnants of the early solar system’s formation. Lucy’s mission, selected by NASA in 2017 from a pool of 28 proposals, involves the exploration of these Trojans, offering insights into their composition, origins, and the broader history of our solar system.

As Lucy approaches Dinkinesh, its terminal-tracking system will begin monitoring the asteroid one hour prior to the close approach. Approximately eight minutes before the close approach, the spacecraft will initiate the acquisition of data from Dinkinesh using its color imager and infrared spectrometer.

Once Lucy draws near the asteroid, it will commence data collection using its thermal-infrared camera (L’TES) and high-resolution camera (L’LORRI). Dinkinesh will be continuously imaged and tracked for approximately one additional hour.

This encounter marks a significant milestone for Lucy and offers a glimpse into its capabilities as it continues its mission to explore and unlock the mysteries of our solar system’s history.