NASA’s Lucy Mission Extends

NASA's Lucy mission recently extended its solar arrays, successfully powering up the spacecraft and bringing it one step closer to its journey to the Trojan asteroids.

Lucy is an asteroid exploration mission that aims to study the Trojan asteroids, which are a group of asteroids that share Jupiter's orbit around the Sun. These asteroids are believed to be remnants from the early solar system and studying them can provide valuable insights into the formation and evolution of our solar system.

The spacecraft was launched on October 16, 2021, and after a successful launch, it deployed its solar arrays to generate power. However, due to a software issue, the arrays did not fully extend as initially planned. NASA engineers worked diligently to troubleshoot and resolve the issue.

After several weeks of extensive testing and analysis, the team determined that a cable connected to one of the solar arrays was not properly releasing, preventing it from fully extending. To address this issue, the mission team developed and executed a series of commands that successfully released the cable and extended the solar arrays to their full length.

With the arrays fully extended, Lucy is now generating sufficient power to operate its systems and carry out its scientific objectives. The spacecraft will continue its journey and conduct a flyby of a main belt asteroid in 2025 before reaching the Trojan asteroids in 2027.

During its mission, Lucy will visit seven different Trojan asteroids and study their composition, surface features, and other characteristics. This data will provide valuable insights into the early solar system, helping scientists piece together the puzzle of how our planet and others in the solar system formed.

The successful extension of the solar arrays is a significant milestone for the Lucy mission, ensuring that the spacecraft is fully operational and ready to carry out its scientific investigations.