Lucy Spacecraft Will Slingshot Around Earth

NASA's Lucy mission, launched on October 16, 2021, is en route to explore the Jupiter Trojans – two groups of primitive asteroids confined within Jupiter's orbit. These asteroids could provide valuable insights into the processes that led to the formation of planets. As Lucy completes its first year in orbit around the Sun, it is commemorating its launch anniversary by embarking on the first of three Earth gravity assists.

On October 16, 2022, Lucy will perform a close flyby of Earth, akin to a partner in a synchronized dance, significantly boosting its velocity and elongating its trajectory around the Sun. At 7:04 am Eastern Time, Lucy will make its closest approach, passing just 219 miles above Earth's surface, which is even lower than the International Space Station's orbit. This exceptionally close encounter will accelerate Lucy by four-and-a-half miles per second, setting the stage for further speed gains when it returns to Earth for its second gravity assist in December 2024.