By Ph.RECLUS
Yes, there is some recent news about NASA’s Lucy space mission.
On November 1, 2023, the Lucy probe made its first flyby of an asteroid, Dinkinesh. Images taken by the probe revealed that Dinkinesh is in fact a binary system, consisting of a main asteroid 790 meters in diameter and a moon 220 meters in diameter. This discovery is important because it suggests that binary asteroids are more common than previously thought.
On December 13, 2023, NASA announced that it would add a new destination to the Lucy mission: asteroid (152830) 1999 VD57. This asteroid is located in the asteroid belt and is similar in size to Dinkinesh. Its inclusion in the mission will allow Lucy to study a wider range of asteroids.
Probe Lucy is still healthy and on track to achieve her goals. It is expected to perform its next asteroid flyby, Eurybates, in August 2024.
Here are some other interesting details about the Lucy mission:
The Lucy probe is equipped with six scientific instruments, including a camera, an infrared spectrometer, an ultraviolet spectrometer and a magnetometer.
The Lucy mission has an estimated cost of $1.5 billion.
The Lucy probe is expected on Earth in 2033.