Planets and Moons ID: 13352

Lucy Trojan Asteroid Mission: Teaser

Released on October 21, 2019

Beyond the asteroid belt are "fossils of planet formation" known as the Trojan asteroids. These primitive bodies share Jupiter's orbit in two vast swarms, and may hold clues to the formation and evolution of our solar system. Now, NASA is preparing to explore the Trojan asteroids for the first time. A mission called Lucy will launch in 2021 and visit seven asteroids over the course of twelve years – one in the main belt and six in Jupiter's Trojan swarms.

Lucy is named for the famous Australopithecus afarensis hominid fossil that shed light on our early human ancestors. By making the first exploration of the Trojan asteroids, the Lucy mission will improve our understanding of the early solar system, and be the first to uncover these fossils of planet formation.

More: NASA's Lucy Mission Clears Critical Milestone

Source Material

For More Information

NASA.gov

Lucy mission website

Credits

Dan Gallagher (USRA):
Producer
Narrator
Editor

Jonathan North (USRA):
Lead Animator

Kel Elkins (USRA):
Data Visualizer

Michael Lentz (USRA):
Animator

Adriana Manrique Gutierrez (USRA):
Artist

Katherine Kretke (SwRI):
Science Advisor

Harold Levison (SwRI):
Scientist

Cathy Olkin (SwRI):
Scientist

Keith Noll (NASA/GSFC):
Scientist

Brook Lakew (NASA):
Project Support

Aaron E. Lepsch (ADNET Systems, Inc.):
Support

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center