Universe ID: 14426

NASA's Lucy Mission Flyby of Asteroid Dinkinesh

Released on October 19, 2023

On Nov 1st 2023, NASA's Lucy spacecraft will fly by the small Main Belt asteroid Dinkinesh (previously known as 1999 VD57). This asteroid flyby was added to Lucy’s list of targets in January of 2023. The primary purpose of the Dinkinesh encounter is to test the spacecraft’s Terminal Tracking System, which will keep Lucy's instruments pointing at the asteroid as it flies by at 10,000 miles per hour. The Lucy mission’s record-breaking tour will now explore at least 10 small solar system bodies. Lucy will have the close approach with Dinkinesh as the spacecraft skims the inner edge of the main asteroid belt. After the encounter, Lucy will head back towards Earth and its second gravity assist in December 2024. That assist will send the spacecraft to explore the Jupiter Trojan asteroids.

Credits

David Ladd (Advocates in Manpower Management, Inc.): Lead Producer
David Ladd (Advocates in Manpower Management, Inc.): Lead Video Editor
Kel Elkins (USRA): Lead Visualizer
Walt Feimer (KBR Wyle Services, LLC): Lead Animator
Jonathan North (KBR Wyle Services, LLC): Animator
David Ladd (Advocates in Manpower Management, Inc.): Narrator
Aaron E. Lepsch (ADNET Systems, Inc.): Technical Support

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

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https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14426

Keywords:
SVS >> Asteroid
NASA Science >> Universe
SVS >> Lucy