Lucy’s Solar Powered Journey Continues
Shortly after Lucy launched, one of its solar arrays failed to fully deploy, putting the mission at risk. Complete transcript available.
Universal Production Music: “Hypervelocity” by Sophy Olivia Purnell
Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.
NASA’s Lucy mission is heading to the Jupiter Trojans – two swarms of unexplored asteroids trapped in Jupiter’s orbit. Lucy made a picture-perfect launch on October 16, 2021, but when the spacecraft began to unfurl its solar arrays, it encountered an anomaly. One of the arrays failed to fully deploy and latch shut, putting the mission at risk. For months, Lucy’s flight operations team worked meticulously to address the issue and put Lucy back on its solar-powered journey to the Jupiter Trojans.
Learn more about the effort to address Lucy’s solar array anomaly.
For More Information
See the following sources:
Credits
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
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Animator
- Jonathan North (KBR Wyle Services, LLC)
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Data visualizer
- Kel Elkins (USRA)
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Producer
- Dan Gallagher (KBR Wyle Services, LLC)
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Narrator
- Dan Gallagher (KBR Wyle Services, LLC)
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Videographer
- Chris Tucker (Lockheed Martin)
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Support
- Ned Barbee (Lockheed Martin)
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Technical support
- Aaron E. Lepsch (ADNET Systems, Inc.)
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Public affairs
- Lauren Duda (Lockheed Martin)
- Nancy Neal-Jones (NASA/GSFC)
Missions
This visualization is related to the following missions:Series
This visualization can be found in the following series:Related Pages
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ID: 13948 Produced Video
Designing Lucy’s Path to the Trojan Asteroids
Read moreExplore Lucy’s journey to one main-belt asteroid and seven Jupiter Trojans.Complete transcript available.Universal Production Music: “Ocean Simulation” & “The Sequencer Paradox” by Laetitia Frenod; “The Chess Game” by David James Elliott & Martin Gratton; “Tale of Time” by Markus GleissnerWatch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel. || DesigningLucyPreview_print.jpg (1024x576) [277.3 KB] || DesigningLucyPreview.png (3840x2160) [11.6 MB] || DesigningLucyPreview.jpg (3840x2160) [3.2 MB] || DesigningLucyPreview_searchweb.png (320x180) [105.7 KB] || DesigningLucyPreview_thm.png (80x40) [7.2 KB] || 13948_Designing_Lucy_Facebook.mp4 (1920x1080) [559.4 MB] || 13948_Designing_Lucy_Twitter.mp4 (1280x720) [101.0 MB] || 13948_Designing_Lucy_Twitter.webm (1280x720) [50.5 MB] || 13948_Designing_Lucy_MASTER.mov (3840x2160) [21.6 GB] || 13948_Designing_Lucy_YouTube.mp4 (3840x2160) [4.4 GB] || 13948_Designing_Lucy_Captions.en_US.srt [10.8 KB] || 13948_Designing_Lucy_Captions.en_US.vtt [10.4 KB] ||
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ID: 13940 Produced Video
Planning for a Spacecraft Launch: Lucy Goes to Space
Read moreThe third episode in a series of five showcasing Solar System exploration through the eyes of the Lucy mission.Music is "256 Kenaston Ave" by Jean-Christophe Beck, "Secret Admirer Flowers" by Brice Davoli, and "Strangely Calm" by Brice Davoli of Universal Production Music.Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel. || 13940_SpacecraftPrep.01560_print.jpg (1024x576) [53.4 KB] || 13940_thumb.jpg (3840x2160) [890.1 KB] || 13940_SpacecraftPrep.01560_searchweb.png (320x180) [53.9 KB] || 13940_SpacecraftPrep.01560_thm.png (80x40) [3.8 KB] || 13940_SpacecraftPreparation_facebook_720.mp4 (1280x720) [196.4 MB] || 13940_SpacecraftPrep.webm (3840x2160) [37.7 MB] || 13940_SpacecraftPreparation.mp4 (3840x2160) [197.3 MB] || 13940_caption_spacecraft.en_US.srt [3.3 KB] || 13940_caption_spacecraft.en_US.vtt [3.1 KB] ||
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ID: 13651 Produced Video
![This video highlights the Lucy mission's four main science objectives, and the instruments aboard the spacecraft that will be utilized for the data collection.Music provided by Universal Production Music: "Feels Good" - Wally Gagel & Xandy Barry [ASCAP]Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.](/vis/a010000/a013600/a013651/LucySciObjThumbnail1_print.jpg)
Studying Trojan Asteroids with Lucy
Read moreThis video highlights the Lucy mission's four main science objectives, and the instruments aboard the spacecraft that will be utilized for the data collection.Music provided by Universal Production Music: "Feels Good" - Wally Gagel & Xandy Barry [ASCAP]Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel. || LucySciObjThumbnail1_print.jpg (1024x576) [93.0 KB] || LucySciObjThumbnail1_searchweb.png (320x180) [60.4 KB] || LucySciObjThumbnail1_thm.png (80x40) [6.8 KB] || 13651_StudyingAsteroidsLucy_YouTubeHD.mp4 (1920x1080) [128.5 MB] || 13651_StudyingAsteroidsLucy_FacebookHD.mp4 (1920x1080) [101.2 MB] || 13651_StudyingAsteroidsLucy_MASTER.mov (1920x1080) [813.8 MB] || LucySciObjThumbnail1.tif (1920x1080) [7.9 MB] || 13651_StudyingAsteroidsLucy_YouTubeHD.webm (1920x1080) [9.2 MB] || 13651_StudyingAsteroidsLucy.en_US.srt [1.8 KB] || 13651_StudyingAsteroidsLucy.en_US.vtt [1.8 KB] ||
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ID: 13482 Produced Video
Lucy Mission Overview: Journey to Explore the Trojan Asteroids
Read moreAn overview of the Lucy Mission and its targets, the Trojan Asteroids. This overview features interviews with Hal Levison (Principal Investigator) and Cathy Olkin (Deputy Principal Investigator) from the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado. Music is "Life Choices" by Universal Production Music. || LUCY_OVERVIEW_MASTER.00035_print.jpg (1024x576) [157.1 KB] || LUCY_THUMB.jpg (3840x2160) [1.4 MB] || LUCY_OVERVIEW_MASTER.00035_searchweb.png (320x180) [88.7 KB] || LUCY_OVERVIEW_MASTER.00035_thm.png (80x40) [6.2 KB] || LUCY_OVERVIEW_MASTER_VX-310983.webm (960x540) [73.8 MB] || LUCY_OVERVIEW_MASTER_VX-310983_facebook_720.mp4 (1280x720) [252.2 MB] || LUCY_OVERVIEW_MASTER_VX-310983_twitter_720.mp4 (1280x720) [41.4 MB] || LUCY_MASTER_SMALLERSIZE.mp4 (3840x2160) [263.2 MB] || Lucy_Subtitles.en_US.srt [5.0 KB] || Lucy_Subtitles.en_US.vtt [5.0 KB] || LUCY_OVERVIEW_MASTER.mov (3840x2160) [13.1 GB] ||
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ID: 20366 Animation
Lucy Solar Array Anomaly: Animation
Read moreANIMATION – Shortly after Lucy launched, one of its solar arrays failed to fully deploy, putting the mission at risk. || Lucy_SP_update_h264_1080.00495_print.jpg (1024x576) [272.9 KB] || Lucy_SP_update_h264_1080.00495_searchweb.png (320x180) [88.7 KB] || Lucy_SP_update_h264_1080.00495_thm.png (80x40) [6.3 KB] || Lucy_SP_update_h264_1080.mp4 (1920x1080) [55.3 MB] || Lucy_SP_update_h264_1080.webm (1920x1080) [2.7 MB] || Lucy_SP_update.mov (3840x2160) [1.5 GB] || Lucy_SP_update_h264_4K.mp4 (3840x2160) [29.5 MB] || frames/3840x2160_16x9_30p/Lucy_SP_Update_PNG/ (3840x2160) [64.0 KB] ||
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ID: 20346 Animation
Lucy Deployment Animations
Read moreAnimation showing Lucy spacecraft being released, deploying it's solar arrays and starting it's journey towards the trojan asteroids. || Lucy_deployment_Final_ProRes.00770_print.jpg (1024x576) [274.1 KB] || Lucy_deployment_Final_ProRes.00770_searchweb.png (320x180) [107.8 KB] || Lucy_deployment_Final_ProRes.00770_thm.png (80x40) [6.9 KB] || Lucy_deployment_Final1080.mov (1920x1080) [66.0 MB] || Lucy_deployment_Final_ProRes.mov (3840x2160) [3.3 GB] || Lucy_deployment_Final_4K.mov (3840x2160) [156.5 MB] ||
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ID: 20318 Animation
Lucy Instruments
Read moreLucy instrument 3D model LTES || LTES_Final.00150_print.jpg (1024x576) [24.7 KB] || LTES_Final.00150_searchweb.png (320x180) [32.0 KB] || LTES_Final.00150_thm.png (80x40) [3.1 KB] || LTES_Final.mov (1920x1080) [455.1 MB] || LTES_Final.webm (1920x1080) [2.3 MB] || frames/1920x1080_16x9_30p/JD_LTES_03__cameraShape1_beauty/ (1920x1080) [32.0 KB] || LTES_1080p30.mp4 (1920x1080) [3.6 MB] ||
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ID: 4719 Visualization
Lucy mission trajectory
Read moreJupiter's swarms of Trojan asteroids may be remnants of the primordial material that formed the outer planets, and serve as time capsules from the birth of our Solar System more than 4 billion years ago. The Trojans orbit in two loose groups that orbit the Sun, with one group always ahead of Jupiter in its path, the other always behind. At these two Lagrange points the bodies are stabilized by the Sun and Jupiter in a gravitational balancing act. These primitive bodies hold vital clues to deciphering the history of the solar system, and perhaps even the origins of life and organic material on Earth.Lucy will be the first space mission to study the Trojans. The mission takes its name from the fossilized human ancestor (called “Lucy” by her discoverers) 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 will launch in October 2021 and, with boosts from Earth's gravity, will complete a twelve-year journey to eight different asteroids — a Main Belt asteroid and seven Jupiter Trojans, the last two members of a “two-for-the-price-of-one” binary system. Lucy’s complex path will take it to both clusters of Trojans and give us our first close-up view of all three major types of bodies in the swarms (so-called C-, P- and D-types). ||
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ID: 20301 Animation
Lucy Mission Animations
Read moreLucy flies by its final target, the binary asteroid Patroclus/Menoetius. When it completes this flyby, Lucy will have visited an unprecedented seven asteroids. || Lucy_Flyby_main_seq_00315_print.jpg (1024x576) [85.2 KB] || Lucy_Flyby_main_seq_00315_searchweb.png (320x180) [77.9 KB] || Lucy_Flyby_main_seq_00315_thm.png (80x40) [6.1 KB] || Lucy_Flyby_1080_ProRes.mov (1920x1080) [282.0 MB] || Lucy_Flyby_main_1080_H264.mp4 (1920x1080) [45.0 MB] || Lucy_Flyby_main_1080_H264.webm (1920x1080) [2.8 MB] || frames/3840x2160_16x9_30p/Lucy_flyby_4k_prores_seq/ (3840x2160) [64.0 KB] || Lucy_Flyby_main_4k.mov (3840x2160) [758.8 MB] || Lucy_Flyby_main_4k_H264.mp4 (3840x2160) [27.5 MB] || Lucy_Flyby_main_4k_H264.webm (3840x2160) [5.9 MB] ||
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