NASA’s Lucy spacecraft deploying its solar arrays. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Beginning on May 6 and continuing through June 16,
For now, further deployment attempts will be paused as the Lucy spacecraft enters a planned period of limited communications. Due to thermal constraints caused by the relative positions of the Earth, spacecraft, and Sun, the spacecraft will be unable to communicate with the Earth via its high-gain antenna for several months. Throughout this period, the spacecraft will use its low-gain antenna remain in contact with Lucy’s ground team.
After its Earth gravity assist maneuver on October 16, the spacecraft will emerge from this partial communications blackout. At that time, the mission team will have more opportunities to attempt further deployment efforts if deemed necessary.
On June 21, the spacecraft successfully carried out a trajectory correction maneuver, which is the second in a series of maneuvers to prepare the spacecraft for its Earth flyby.
Launched on October 16, 2021, Lucy will be the first space mission to explore the Trojan asteroids, a population of small bodies that are left over from the formation of the solar system. In their orbit around the Sun, they lead or follow