Earth's Gravitational Boost: Lucy Spacecraft's Orbital Adventure

NASA's Lucy mission, launched on October 16, 2021, is en route to the Jupiter Trojans—swarms of primitive asteroids in Jupiter's orbit, offering insights into planetary formation. After a year orbiting the Sun, Lucy returns to Earth on its launch anniversary for the first of three gravity assists, with a close flyby on October 16, 2022, accelerating its orbit. This close encounter, just 219 miles above Earth, boosts its velocity by 4.5 miles per second, setting the stage for its second gravity assist in December 2024. [Source: NASA]