Lucy Spacecraft Will Slingshot Around Earth

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. 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. For More InformationSee [NASA.gov](https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2022/lucy-ega)

Ride-along view of Lucy’s first Earth gravity assist (EGA). The camera follows Lucy as the spacecraft approaches the sunlit side of Earth before crossing into Earth’s shadow as it slingshots around the planet. 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 four-and-a-half miles per second, setting Lucy on track to gain even more speed when it returns to Earth for a second gravity assist in December 2024. This visualization compares Lucy’s EGA1 trajectory (turquoise) with all active satellites (shown in white). Top-down view of Lucy’s EGA1 trajectory with the Moon’s orbit. A view of Lucy’s EGA1 trajectory over Australia Ride-along view of Lucy’s first Earth gravity assist (EGA). The camera follows Lucy as the spacecraft approaches the sunlit side of Earth before crossing into Earth’s shadow as it slingshots around the planet. This is a slower version of the full ride along view above, focusing on the approach. Ride-along view of Lucy’s first Earth gravity assist (EGA). The camera follows Lucy as the spacecraft approaches the sunlit side of Earth before crossing into Earth’s shadow as it slingshots around the planet. This is a slower version of the full ride along view above, focusing on the closest approach.

This visualization is a view from the Lucy spacecraft as it travels through the solar system, represented in a Jupiter-rotating reference frame. In this reference frame, Jupiter appears fixed in space. This visualization spans from launch through the flyby of the main belt asteroid DonaldJohanson. (Part 1 of 3) Lucy will be the first space mission to study the Trojans asteroids - two loose groups of asteroids that orbit the Sun, with one group always ahead of Jupiter in its path, the other always behind. 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 launch in October 2021 and, with boosts from Earth view of Lucy as the spacecraft travels through the solar system. This visualization is a view from the Lucy spacecraft as it travels through the solar system, represented in a Jupiter-rotating reference frame. This visualization depicts the next portion of the mission, which includes flybys of Eurybates, Orus, Leucus, and Polymele. (Part 2 of 3) This visualization is a view from the Lucy spacecraft as it travels through the solar system, represented in a Jupiter-rotating reference frame. This visualization depicts the final portion of the mission, which includes a flyby of the binary asteroid Patroclus/Menoetius. (Part 3 of 3) This visualization is a view from the Lucy spacecraft as it travels through the solar system, represented in a Jupiter-rotating reference frame. This is a complete view of the entire mission, combining all three sections (parts 1-3) listed above into one visualization, including all asteroid flybys. A closer view of the Lucy flyby of the binary asteroid Patroclus/Menoetius, represented in a Jupiter-rotating reference frame.

Animation showing Lucy spacecraft being released, deploying it s journey towards the trojan asteroids. These animations show the Lucy spacecraft right after stage one seperations and follow it through fairing seperation, release from the Centaur module, solar panel deployment and main engine burn. Fairing seperation from the Atlas V and Lucy spacecraft release Lucy spacecraft solar arrays deploying and main engine burn Lucy in transit Lucy Solar Arrays deployment Camera 1 Lucy Solar Arrays deployment Camera 2 Lucy Solar Array deployment Camera 3 Lucy Solar Array deployment Camera 4

Jupiter 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). This top-down, solar system view shows the entire Lucy mission in a Jupiter-rotating reference frame. In this reference frame, Jupiter appears fixed in space. Two large regions of asteroids are depicted along Jupiter’s orbit (know as the Jupiter Trojan Asteroids). Green - EarthBlue - LucyOrange - JupiterWhite - Target, ‘fly-by’ asteroids This top-down, solar system view shows the entire Lucy mission in a Jupiter-rotating reference frame. In this reference frame, Jupiter appears fixed in space. Two large regions of asteroids are depicted along Jupiter’s orbit (know as the Jupiter Trojan Asteroids). Labels appear as each fly-by occurs. Green - EarthBlue - LucyOrange - JupiterWhite - Target, ‘fly-by’ asteroidsThis video is also available on our YouTube channel. This is a view of the inner solar system in a Jupiter-rotating reference frame. The camera begins at viewpoint oblique to the ecliptic plane, then moves up to a top-down view. This top-down, solar system view shows the entire Lucy mission in a Jupiter-rotating reference frame. In this version, the camera pushes into the final asteroid fly-by, 617 Patroclus. This top-down, solar system view shows the entire Lucy mission in a Jupiter-rotating reference frame. In this version, the camera pushes into the final asteroid fly-by, 617 Patroclus (labeled). This visualization includes multiple views of the entire Lucy mission in a Jupiter-rotating reference frame. The visualization includes top-down, side, and oblique views of the solar system. This video is also available on our YouTube channel. Oblique view of the entire Lucy mission in a Jupiter-rotating reference frame. Side view of the entire Lucy mission in a Jupiter-rotating reference frame. Top view of the entire Lucy mission in a Jupiter-rotating reference frame.