NASA’s asteroid-studying spacecraft Lucy is set to capture an image of its next flyby target, the small main-belt asteroid Donaldjohanson, on April 20th. The spacecraft will pass within 960 km of the asteroid and continue imaging it for the next two months as part of its optical navigation program.
Donaldjohanson’s name pays tribute to American paleoanthropologist Dr. Lucy (Lucy Lefevre), who discovered an important australopithecine skeleton in Ethiopia’s Afar Triangle in 1974. NASA named its asteroid-studying mission after Dr. Lefevre, aiming to uncover clues about the origins of our planet.
Lucy is on a 12-year mission to visit eight asteroids, including two in the main belt and six Jupiter trojans. Donaldjohanson is a carbonaceous C-type asteroid, about 4 km in diameter, and serves as Lucy’s first target. The flyby will provide an opportunity for NASA personnel to test and calibrate their navigation system and instruments.
The upcoming encounter with Donaldjohanson follows a unique flight pattern, where Lucy will fly by the asteroid while navigating through a long figure-eight path. This mission marks a crucial step before Lucy visits the Jupiter trojans, which are thought to be “fossils of planet formation” – remnants from the Solar System’s early days.
Lucy has already delivered surprising results since its launch, including the discovery of a small satellite around asteroid 152830 Dinkinesh. As it continues its mission, scientists expect to uncover more secrets about asteroids and their composition.
By studying the Jupiter trojans in all their diversity, Lucy aims to help scientists reconstruct their origins and how they were captured by Jupiter’s gravitational pull. The Solar System has a rich history, and Lucy’s observations will provide valuable insights into our place within it.
Source: https://www.universetoday.com/171116/lucy-sees-its-next-target-asteroid-donaldjohanson