NASA Science Live: Lucy in the Sky with Asteroids | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

NASA's upcoming Lucy mission will study Trojan asteroids, providing vital clues to understanding the history and formation of our solar system.

Key Insights

• 💁 Trojan asteroids are remnants from the formation of the solar system and provide clues to understanding the chaotic disruption caused by giant planet migration.
• 😚 Lucy's mission is to study the surfaces, composition, and geology of Trojan asteroids through close flybys and imaging.
• 🆘 The diverse composition of Trojan asteroids suggests an interesting history and can help unravel the origins of the solar system.
• 💆 Lucy's instruments, including cameras and gravity experiments, will provide valuable data on the mass, density, and properties of the Trojans.
• 🕖 Lucy's journey will cover a 12-year period and explore seven different Trojan asteroids, offering a comprehensive study of these unique objects.
• 💖 Understanding the Trojan asteroids can provide insights into the origins of water and organic materials that sparked life on Earth.
• 🎟️ The Lucy mission is part of NASA's suite of asteroid missions, working together to piece together the formation and evolution of the planets in our solar system.

Transcript

comets and asteroids are truly the time capsules of our galaxy with many of them dating back to more than 4 billion years ago these prehistoric treasures hold the lost tales about the origins of our solar system and luckily we are slowly starting to unravel its story missions like nasa's osiris-rex and jack says hybus hivasua ii are providing insig... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: What are Trojan asteroids, and why are they important to study?

Trojan asteroids are remnants from the formation of the solar system that are trapped in stable regions around Jupiter's orbit. Studying them can provide insights into the chaotic disruption caused by giant planet migration and the origins of the solar system.

Q: How many people are working on the Lucy mission?

Approximately 750 people, including engineers, technicians, scientists, managers, and interns, are involved in the Lucy mission. Each person's role is vital in designing, building, testing, and launching the spacecraft.

Q: Will Lucy be able to discover new asteroids during its mission?

While not the primary goal, it is possible for Lucy to discover new asteroids during its journey. However, the mission's focus is on studying the Trojan asteroids in depth, rather than searching for new ones.

Q: Will Lucy's instruments be able to capture high-resolution images of the Trojan asteroids?

Yes, Lucy will have five cameras on board, including thermal and infrared cameras, to capture close-up images of the Trojan asteroids' surfaces. The highest resolution images will have a resolution of about 14 meters per pixel, enabling the study of geologic features and crater counting.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Lucy is the first spacecraft to study Trojan asteroids, which orbit the sun in two groups, one in front of Jupiter's path and the other behind it.

• The mission will complete a 12-year journey to seven different Trojans, providing close-up views of their surfaces and investigating their composition and geology.

• Understanding the diversity of Trojan asteroids can shed light on the history and formation of the solar system.