Lucy Spacecraft will Slingshot Around Earth

Lucy Spacecraft Will Slingshot Around Earth
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14 Oct
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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 its
second gravity assist in December 2024.
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Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Dan Gallagher (KBRwyle): Producer