Lucy's Journey: Episode 7 - "Earth Gravity Assist"

Lucy approaches the Earth and the Moon prior to its flyby. Lucy fires its thrusters to avoid colliding with an Earth-orbiting satellite. Lucy approaches Western Australia, coming within 220 miles of Earth’s surface. Lucy crosses over Queensland, Australia, and heads toward the Pacific Ocean. After completing its first gravity assist, Lucy bids farewell to the Earth and the Moon. NASA’s Lucy mission is heading to the Jupiter Trojans – two swarms of primitive asteroids trapped in Jupiter’s orbit that may hold clues to the formation of the planets. Lucy launched on October 16, 2021, spent a year in orbit around the Sun, and returned home on its launch anniversary for the first of three Earth gravity assists. The maneuver boosted Lucy’s speed and elongated its orbit around the Sun, setting it track for a second flyby of Earth in December 2024. This page provides artist concept animations depicting Lucy’s first Earth gravity assist.Learn more about Lucy's first Earth gravity assist. For More InformationSee [NASA.gov](https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2022/lucy-ega) Related pages

NASA’s Lucy spacecraft will make an exceptionally close flyby of Earth on Oct. 16, 2022. Complete transcript available.Universal Production Music: “Determined Arrival 5” by Joel Goodman; “Finding Solace” by Eric Chevalier; “Subtle Confidence 3” by Joel GoodmanWatch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel. NASA’s Lucy mission is heading to the Jupiter Trojans – two swarms of primitive asteroids trapped in Jupiter’s orbit that may hold clues to the formation of the planets. Lucy launched on October 16, 2021. After a year in orbit around the Sun, it is returning home on its launch anniversary for the first of three Earth gravity assists. On October 16, 2022, Lucy will fly by the Earth like a partner in a swing dance, boosting its speed and elongating its orbit around the Sun.At 7:04 am, Eastern Time, Lucy will make its closest approach at just 219 miles above the planet: lower than the International Space Station. This exceptionally close shave will increase its velocity by 4.5 miles per second, setting Lucy on track to gain even more speed when it returns to Earth for its second gravity assist in December 2024.Learn more about Lucy's first Earth gravity assist. For More InformationSee [NASA.gov](https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2022/lucy-ega) Related pages

The full series of all the Lucy's Journey cartoons.Music is "Fizzy and Witty" by Fabien Langard and Philippe Villar, "Lost in Space" by Arch Bacon, "Kitschorama" from Denny Savage and Henrik Lars Wikstrom, "Nip and Tuck" by Arch Bacon, "Lazy Days" by Arch Bacon, "Frantic Funk Out" by Anders Johan Greger Lewen, "Jewel" by Arnaud Rignon and Sebastien Langolff, "Shaken and Stirred" by Steve Martin, "Flying Squad" by Steve Martin and "Extra Terrestrial" by Michael Ellgren of Universal Production Music.Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel. Meet Lucy as she prepares for the first ever journey to the Trojan asteroids, a population of primitive small bodies orbiting in tandem with Jupiter. For More InformationSee [https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/1895/lucy-mission-resources/](https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/1895/lucy-mission-resources/) Related pages

The sixth in a series of six episodes in the Lucy's Journey cartoon series.Music is "Flying Squad" by Steve Martin and "Extra Terrestrial" by Michael Ellgren from Universal Production Music.Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel. Meet Lucy as she prepares for the first ever journey to the Trojan asteroids, a population of primitive small bodies orbiting in tandem with Jupiter. For More InformationSee [https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/1895/lucy-mission-resources/](https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/1895/lucy-mission-resources/) Related pages

The fifth in a series of six episodes in the Lucy's Journey cartoon series.Music is "Frantic Funk Out" by Anders Johan Greger Lewen, "Jewel" by Arnaud Rignon and Sebastien Langolff and "Shaken and Stirred" by Steve Martin of Universal Production Music.Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel. Meet Lucy as she prepares for the first ever journey to the Trojan asteroids, a population of primitive small bodies orbiting in tandem with Jupiter. For More InformationSee [https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/1895/lucy-mission-resources/](https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/1895/lucy-mission-resources/) Related pages

The fourth in a series of six episodes in the Lucy's Journey cartoon series.Music is "Lazy Days" by Arch Bacon of Universal Production Music.Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel. Meet Lucy as she prepares for the first ever journey to the Trojan asteroids, a population of primitive small bodies orbiting in tandem with Jupiter. For More InformationSee [https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/1895/lucy-mission-resources/](https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/1895/lucy-mission-resources/) Related pages

The third in a series of six episodes in the Lucy's Journey cartoon series.Music is "Nip and Tuck" by Arch Bacon of Universal Production Music.Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel. Meet Lucy as she prepares for the first ever journey to the Trojan asteroids, a population of primitive small bodies orbiting in tandem with Jupiter. For More InformationSee [https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/1895/lucy-mission-resources/](https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/1895/lucy-mission-resources/) Related pages

The second in a series of six episodes in the Lucy's Journey cartoon series.Music is "Kitschorama" from Denny Savage and Henrik Lars Wikstrom of Universal Production Music.Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel. Episode 2: The Journey Begins. Meet Lucy as she prepares for the first ever journey to the Trojan asteroids, a population of primitive small bodies orbiting in tandem with Jupiter. For More InformationSee [https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/1895/lucy-mission-resources/](https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/news/1895/lucy-mission-resources/) Related pages

The first episode in the Lucy's Journey cartoon series.Music is "Fizzy and Witty" by Fabien Langard and Philippe Villar and "Lost in Space" by Arch Bacon from Universal Production MusicWatch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel. Vertical version of Lucy's Journey: Episode 1 - Launch A short promotional video for the Lucy cartoon series. Episode 1: Launch. Meet Lucy as she prepares for the first ever journey to the Trojan asteroids, a population of primitive small bodies orbiting in tandem with Jupiter. Related pages