Exploring the mysteries of Trojan asteroids: NASA’s Lucy spacecraft mission

NASA’s Lucy spacecraft is on a mission to study the Trojan asteroids, some of the most enigmatic asteroids known to humanity. Although it’s still millions of miles away from its destination, the Lucy mission has managed to capture a fascinating glimpse of these asteroids in a new video that NASA recently shared on Twitter.

The Trojan asteroids are composed of two swarms that are trapped in front of and behind Jupiter as it orbits around the Sun. By studying these asteroids, Lucy aims to determine if they are remnants of our early solar system. Scientists believe that understanding more about the Trojans will provide insights into how the planets within our solar system formed.

Moreover, this research could potentially shed light on the origins of life on Earth. By investigating the two swarms of Trojans, Lucy may be able to gather evidence that points to life-delivering asteroids. This information could help us understand where life on our planet came from and how it evolved over time.

Despite traveling through the universe at a staggering speed of over 90,000 mph since its launch in 2021, Lucy won’t reach the Trojan asteroids until 2027 and 2028. Once there, the spacecraft will conduct multiple flybys and gather information about the swarms.

Over the course of its 12-year-long mission, Lucy’s primary goal is to study nine of the Trojan asteroids. However, most of its time will be spent traveling between the different swarms of Trojans found in our solar system.

During the mission, the spacecraft will only be able to study each asteroid for about 24 hours, according to NASA. It won’t stop to collect samples, so the videos and photos that Lucy captures will be our only sources of information about these mysterious asteroids.

Nevertheless, this mission will provide us with a much-needed close-up view of the Trojans and lay the groundwork for future missions that delve deeper into their origins. By studying the Trojans, we may gain a better understanding of whether they are remnants of our early solar system, and how they may have played a role in the development of life on Earth.