NASA's Lucy First to Enter Jupiter's Trojan Asteroid Region

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NASA reports that Lucy is the first spacecraft to enter the region of the Jupiter Trojan asteroids, after traveling more than 2.2 billion miles since its October 2021 launch. The Trojans share Jupiter's orbit in two swarms around Lagrange points 4 and 5, and scientists expect them to reveal how the planets formed 4.5 billion years ago. Lucy's first encounter, with Eurybates, is set for August 11, 2027, followed by Polymele, Leucus and Orus; a 2030 Earth gravity assist is set to send it to the trailing swarm.  Disclosure: This video contains stock footage and content created or enhanced using AI-assisted tools.

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00:00NASA's Lucy spacecraft just made history.

00:02It's the first spacecraft to enter the region of the Jupiter-Trojan asteroids.

00:07Lucy launched in October 2021 and has traveled more than 2.2 billion miles.

00:12The Trojans share Jupiter's orbit around the Sun.

00:15They gather in two swarms, one ahead of the planet and one behind.

00:19These asteroids are about 484 million miles from Jupiter.

00:23Earlier missions flew past Jupiter, but none visited the Trojans.

00:28Scientists think these primitive bodies hold clues to how planets formed 4.5 billion years ago.

00:34Lucy's first close encounter, with an asteroid called Eurybates, comes on August 11, 2027.

00:40Then it visits Polymele, Lucas, and Oris through 2028.

00:44In 2030, Lucy returns to Earth for a final gravity assist.

00:49That sends it to the trailing swarm, reaching a binary pair in 2033.

00:53Five years in, the real exploring is just beginning.

00:56Disclosure

00:57This video contains stock footage and content created or enhanced using AI-assisted tools.

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