NASAs Lucy spacecraft releasing its solar varieties. Credit: NASAs Goddard Space Flight
Where will you be and what will you depend on in August of 2027? What about March of 2033? NASA knows precisely where the Lucy spacecraft will be: zipping never-before-explored Trojan asteroids!
After launching in October 2021, the Lucy spacecraft will journey for 12 years, observing one primary belt asteroid and seven Trojan asteroids. These asteroids are billions of years of ages and the residues of planet development, working as ancient time capsules from our early solar system. Caught in their stable orbits, the Trojans form two “swarms” that lead in front of and route behind the planet Jupiter in its path around the Sun.
To follow along with the Lucy objective on its 12-year journey, NASA invites you to develop your extremely own Lucy Time Capsule.
Where will you be and what will you depend on in August of 2027? What about March of 2033? The NASA Lucy mission welcomes you follow along with Lucy on this 12-year journey by building your really own #LucyTimeCapsule. What will you put in yours? Credit: NASAs Goddard Space Flight
What items, sounds, ideas, or words will function as memories for you and your family to recall upon as Lucy carries out its objective into the next years? What is “so” 2021? Will it be the infant shoes your little one simply grew out of? Perhaps youll print off the Trojan asteroid trading cards. What about your comfortable sweatpants? An image of your family pet gerbil? However not your real animal gerbil! A new preferred dish for lasagna? However not the actual lasagna! You get the concept.
What will you put in your Lucy Time Capsule?
Get a reusable and a container with a top, like a shoebox, a tennis ball container, or a freezer bag, and fill it up!
What will advise you of the year that Lucy launches?
Program NASA your Lucy TimCapsule!
Post a picture, drawing, video or other description of your Lucy Time Capsule on social networks (Twitter, Facebook or Instagram) and use the hashtag #LucyTimeCapsule. If a post captures NASAs eye, we may re-share it on our social networks accounts.
Words of Wisdom
Lucy is carrying a time pill of its own in the form of a plaque, engraved with quotes and poems from poets, songwriters and authors. After its 12-year objective, the spacecraft will continue orbiting the Sun, traveling in between Earth and the Trojan asteroids for numerous thousands, if not millions, of years. The Lucy team put the plaque on the spacecraft with hopes that our descendants may one day recover Lucy and learn of the early days of humankinds exploration of the planetary system.
What message or words of knowledge would you consist of in your Lucy Time Capsule for your future self and family to find? Or tape it to the outdoors, simply like a plaque!
Computer rendering of the plaque that the Lucy spacecraft will carry in its orbit for millennia. Credit: NASA/SwRI/LM
Revisit your Lucy Time Capsule and continue to add to it!
At each of the Lucy objective turning points and asteroid encounters, well be travelling down memory lane, and welcome you to join us. Glance back in your Lucy Time Capsule. How have you altered? How has the world changed? What has stayed the exact same? Where will you be for the next turning point?
While youre in there, add something new to mark the celebration! Dont forget to publish your additions and ideas to social networks with the hashtag #LucyTimeCapsule.
Mark these Lucy Mission Milestone dates on your calendar:
NASA knows exactly where the Lucy spacecraft will be: flying by never-before-explored Trojan asteroids!
After launching in October 2021, the Lucy spacecraft will journey for 12 years, observing one primary belt asteroid and 7 Trojan asteroids. The NASA Lucy objective invites you follow along with Lucy on this 12-year journey by building your really own #LucyTimeCapsule. The Lucy group positioned the plaque on the spacecraft with hopes that our descendants may one day obtain Lucy and discover of the early days of mankinds exploration of the solar system.
At each of the Lucy mission turning points and asteroid encounters, well be taking a journey down memory lane, and welcome you to join us.
October 15, 2022– Lucy has its very first Earth flyby and gravity assist to gain ground.
December 12, 2024– Lucy has its second Earth flyby and gravity help, sending the spacecraft out towards the Trojan asteroids.
April 20, 2025– Lucy zips the main belt asteroid (52246) Donaldjohanson.
August 12, 2027– Lucy has its first encounter with not one, but 2(!), Trojan asteroids: Eurybates (3548) and its satellite, Queta.
September 15, 2027– Lucy zips the Trojan asteroid Polymele (15094 ).
April 18, 2028– Lucy zips the Trojan asteroid Leucus (11351 ).
November 11, 2028– Lucy zips the Trojan asteroid Orus (21900) and after that heads back towards Earth.
December 25, 2030– Lucy has its third Earth flyby and gravity help and then heads out towards the Trojan asteroids routing Jupiter.
March 3, 2033– Lucy flies by the binary pair Patroclus and Menoetius.
2033 and beyond– Lucy continues to orbit the Sun, passing through the alternating Trojan swarms for hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of years!