Lucy is set to investigate Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids, considered to be the “relics of planetary formation.” Attribution: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Scheduled for a flyby of asteroid Dinkinesh on November 1, NASA’s Lucy spacecraft is geared up for its inaugural asteroid engagement. The event will serve as a test for Lucy’s terminal tracking capabilities and will necessitate a brief pause in communications with Earth.
NASA’s Lucy spacecraft is poised for its initial encounter with an asteroid on the 1st of November. The spacecraft’s optical navigation team has verified that the recent trajectory adjustment executed on September 29 successfully positioned Lucy for its forthcoming pass by the minor Main Belt asteroid Dinkinesh. The spacecraft is expected to be at a distance of approximately 265 miles (425 km) from the asteroid at 12:54 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.
On October 28, a final knowledge update was transmitted to the spacecraft, providing the most current data concerning the relative locations of Lucy and the asteroid Dinkinesh. The accuracy of this dataset is sufficient to navigate the spacecraft across the existing half-million-mile (roughly 800,000 km) gap between Lucy and Dinkinesh.
Scheduled for November 1, 2023, the spacecraft will fly by the small Main Belt asteroid Dinkinesh, formerly known as 1999 VD57. This asteroid was newly incorporated into Lucy’s list of objectives in January 2023. Attribution: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Table of Contents
Systems for Position Tracking and Surveillance
Approximately an hour prior to the spacecraft’s closest proximity to the asteroid—when it is nearly 10,000 miles (16,000 km) away—Lucy will initiate its terminal tracking system to actively monitor Dinkinesh’s position. Given the asteroid’s diminutive size, the tracking system is not anticipated to achieve a “lock-on” status until moments before the nearest approach. The system is programmed to autonomously adjust the spacecraft’s orientation to keep the asteroid within the visual range of its scientific instruments as Lucy passes by at an approximate speed of 10,000 mph (4.5 m/s). This marks the inaugural application of this terminal tracking system, serving as a live test under actual spaceflight conditions.
Data Transmission and Communication Protocol
As Lucy nears Dinkinesh on the morning of November 1, the spacecraft will adjust its position to allow for constant asteroid tracking. This will cause the high-gain antenna to be directed away from Earth, suspending communication capabilities until the completion of the flyby sequence and the subsequent reorientation of the antenna toward Earth. The scientific and engineering data collected during the flyby, including images, will be progressively transmitted to Earth over the subsequent weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about NASA’s Lucy Spacecraft and Asteroid Dinkinesh Encounter
What is the main objective of NASA’s Lucy spacecraft in its encounter with asteroid Dinkinesh?
The primary objective of NASA’s Lucy spacecraft in its interaction with asteroid Dinkinesh is to test its terminal tracking system capabilities. The event will also serve as a real-time test under actual spaceflight conditions and is aimed at furthering our understanding of these celestial bodies, considered to be “relics of planetary formation.”
When is NASA’s Lucy spacecraft scheduled for its flyby of asteroid Dinkinesh?
NASA’s Lucy spacecraft is scheduled for its flyby of the asteroid Dinkinesh on November 1, 2023, at approximately 12:54 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.
How has the spacecraft’s trajectory been verified for this mission?
The spacecraft’s optical navigation team executed a trajectory correction maneuver on September 29. This adjustment has been confirmed to have successfully aligned Lucy on its intended path for its forthcoming flyby of the minor Main Belt asteroid Dinkinesh.
What is the final knowledge update and why is it crucial?
The final knowledge update is a data package transmitted to the spacecraft on October 28. It contains the most current and precise information about the relative positions of the Lucy spacecraft and asteroid Dinkinesh. This dataset is vital for navigating the spacecraft across the existing gap of approximately half a million miles (roughly 800,000 km) that currently separates the two.
What will happen to communications with Earth during the flyby?
As Lucy approaches Dinkinesh, it will rotate into a position that enables it to continually track the asteroid. This reorientation will move the high-gain antenna away from Earth, causing a temporary interruption in communications until the spacecraft completes the flyby sequence and reorients its antenna back toward Earth.
How will data from the flyby be transmitted back to Earth?
Imagery and other scientific and engineering data collected during the flyby will be progressively downlinked to Earth over the weeks following the event.
What will Lucy do approximately one hour before its closest approach to Dinkinesh?
About an hour prior to the closest approach—when Lucy is nearly 10,000 miles (16,000 km) from the asteroid—the spacecraft will activate its terminal tracking system to monitor the position of Dinkinesh. Given the asteroid’s small size, the system is not expected to lock on to the asteroid until just a few minutes before the closest approach.
How fast will Lucy travel during the flyby?
The spacecraft is anticipated to zoom by the asteroid Dinkinesh at an approximate speed of 10,000 mph (4.5 m/s).
More about NASA’s Lucy Spacecraft and Asteroid Dinkinesh Encounter
- NASA’s Lucy Mission Overview
- Goddard Space Flight Center
- Jupiter’s Trojan Asteroids
- Space Exploration and Flyby Missions
- Understanding Spacecraft Communication Systems
- Guide to Optical Navigation in Spacecraft
- Understanding Terminal Tracking Systems
- About Main Belt Asteroids
- NASA’s Asteroid Exploration Programs
- Spaceflight Conditions and Testing
7 comments
Wow, can’t believe Lucy’s getting this close to an asteroid! This is like the real deal for space exploration, right? terminal tracking and all that stuff.
How long do we have to wait for the data though? says “over the weeks” but man, I’m impatient. Want to see what they find ASAP!
So the final knowledge update is that important, huh? Imagine messing that up and missing the asteroid by miles. The stakes are high!
A trajectory correction maneuver on Sept 29 and now a flyby on Nov 1? NASA’s got its timings down to a T! so precise.
“Relics of planetary formation” – that phrase just gives me chills. Imagine what secrets those asteroids hold.
ah man, this is so cool. I mean they’re actually gonna lose communication with Earth for a bit. thats like movie stuff happening in real life.
Seriously impressed by the terminal tracking system. Autonomous reorientation while zooming at 10k mph? That’s some next-level engineering.