NASA’s asteroid exploration mission, named “Lucy,” is nearing its first target after a two-year flight through millions of kilometers. The spacecraft is preparing to briefly rendezvous with the asteroid 152830 Dinkinesh before continuing on to Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids.
Located in the main asteroid belt, 152830 Dinkinesh is an elongated asteroid measuring only 1 km wide. It has a rotation period of 52.67 hours and was added to Lucy’s detection target list earlier this year as a test instrument before reaching the Jupiter system.
Once considered just a spot of light, 152830 Dinkinesh will become the smallest main-belt asteroid ever detected when Lucy makes its closest approach to it on November 1 at around 12:54 noon EST. It will mark the first time humanity gets a close look at the asteroid.
During the approach, Lucy will be out of range from the Goddard Space Flight Center due to its distance from Earth. The spacecraft will rely on the terminal tracking system to monitor the position of 152830 Dinkinesh, which will be approximately 16,000 kilometers away from it.
Shortly before the closest approach, Lucy’s system will be fully locked onto the asteroid, allowing the Color Imaging and Infrared Spectrometer (L’Ralph) to gather data about 152830 Dinkinesh. After the flyby, Lucy will continue to observe and track the asteroid for about an hour before reorienting itself and resuming communication with Earth. It will then use the High-Resolution Visible Light Imager (L’LORRI) to capture images of the asteroid over the next four days.
Once its work with 152830 Dinkinesh is complete, Lucy will continue its journey until its scheduled visit to Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids in 2027. It will encounter several other asteroids, including 3548 (Eurybates) and its satellite “Eurysat,” 15094 (Polymele) and its companion Leucus, 21900 (Orus), and the double asteroid system Patroclus and Menoetius.
Lucy’s mission marks an important step in asteroid exploration and the gathering of valuable scientific and technological knowledge. As the spacecraft embarks on its next phase, it promises to provide even more insights into our solar system and its celestial bodies.