NASA’s Lucy Spacecraft Gears Up for Its Second Asteroid Flyby

NASA’s Lucy Spacecraft Gears Up for Its Second Asteroid Flyby

NASA’s Lucy spacecraft is closing in on its next asteroid target: a small main-belt asteroid named Donaldjohanson. The approach marks a new milestone in Lucy’s 12-year journey to explore the Trojan asteroids that orbit the Sun along with Jupiter. On November 1, 2023, Lucy successfully completed its first flyby of the asteroid Dinkinesh and its satellite, Selam. That encounter allowed scientists to test critical systems ahead of future missions. …

The Lucy spacecraft has completed an important maneuver on its way to its main mission — exploring Jupiter’s ancient Trojan asteroids. On April 20, 2025, it will approach the asteroid Donald Johansson at a distance of 960 kilometers, practicing complex operations that will be required to study more significant scientific objects. This event will be a “dress rehearsal” before the main stage of the mission. Half an hour before... The post 960 km, …