Lucy: First Mission to the Trojan Asteroids | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

NASA Lucy Mission plans to explore Trojan asteroids like fossils of the early solar system for groundbreaking findings.

Key Insights

• 🥺 The Lucy Mission, led by Hal Levison at Southwest Research Institute, aims to explore Trojan asteroids for insights into the early solar system.
• 🌱 Named after the Lucy fossil, the mission plans to travel to eight asteroids using advanced instruments like Laurie and LRalf.
• 💁 By analyzing asteroid compositions and surface features during flybys, Lucy hopes to unlock crucial information about solar system formation.
• 😚 The spacecraft's trajectory includes close flybys of Trojans like Ribbities and Polymele for in-depth studies.
• 💁 Trojans are considered fossils of the early solar system, offering unique scientific opportunities for unraveling planetary formation.
• 😤 Collaboration with a dedicated team from various institutions ensures the successful preparation and execution of the Lucy Mission.
• 🙂 Lucy's significant scientific contributions are expected to shed light on the origins and dynamics of the solar system's evolution.

Transcript

and i'm going to talk about this mission i've been working on this mission now for more than five years it's what we call a pi led mission that means there's a principal investigator and that's my friend hal levison he is at southwest research institute in boulder colorado and his deputy my friend kathy olkin is also at southwest research institute... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the significance of exploring Trojan asteroids in the Lucy Mission?

The Trojan asteroids are like time capsules from the early solar system, holding critical information about its formation and evolution. By studying them, scientists hope to unveil the secrets of our cosmic origins.

Q: How does the Lucy Mission plan to differentiate between various asteroids in terms of composition?

The mission utilizes advanced instruments like LRalf, a spectrometer, and color imager to analyze the variation of light with wavelength, revealing the unique compositions of different asteroids through spectral data.

Q: Why is Lucy set to visit a total of eight asteroids during its mission?

By exploring a diverse range of asteroids, including Trojans and main belt asteroids, Lucy aims to gather comprehensive data on the variations in asteroid compositions, sizes, colors, and surface features, enhancing scientific understanding of the solar system's history.

Q: How does the Lucy Mission spacecraft communicate with Earth during its exploration?

Equipped with a six-foot dish for communication, the spacecraft utilizes solar panels for power and advanced technology to transmit data back to Earth, enabling real-time monitoring and analysis of the asteroid encounters.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The Lucy Mission, led by principal investigator Hal Levison, aims to explore Trojan asteroids as remnants of the early solar system.

• Named after the Lucy fossil, the spacecraft will travel to eight asteroids, including Trojans and a main belt asteroid, for scientific analysis.

• Advanced instruments like Laurie, LRalf, and L'TES will enable detailed studies of asteroid compositions during flybys.