Launched in 2021, Lucy's primary goal is to explore the diversity of the Trojans—primitive space rocks that orbit the Sun in two clusters, one leading and one trailing Jupiter. By studying these eclectic objects, researchers hope to decode the early history of our solar system. High-Speed Science
: Across its 12-year journey, the total time spent making primary science observations will only add up to about 24 hours. Lucyzip
NASA’s Lucy spacecraft is currently embarked on a nearly $1 billion, 12-year mission that scientists describe as "hauling ass" through the solar system. Named after the famous 3.2-million-year-old human ancestor fossil, the probe is designed to uncover the "fossils" of planet formation: the Jupiter Trojan asteroids. The Mission’s Objectives Launched in 2021, Lucy's primary goal is to
Because of the spacecraft's immense speed, its actual scientific observation time is surprisingly short. NASA’s Lucy spacecraft is currently embarked on a
Despite a minor technical setback early in the mission—one of its two massive solar wings failed to fully latch—NASA flight controllers have determined the spacecraft is stable enough to complete its historic voyage.