NASA's Lucy Spacecraft to Perform Earth Flyby for Speed Boost

NASA's Lucy mission, on its journey to explore the Jupiter Trojans, two clusters of primitive asteroids orbiting Jupiter, is set to gain momentum with the help of Earth's gravity. Launched on October 16, 2021, Lucy is returning home for its first of three Earth gravity assists after a year in orbit around the Sun.

On October 16, 2022, Lucy will swing by Earth like a dance partner, using the planet's gravitational pull to increase its speed and elongate its orbit around the Sun. The close encounter will bring Lucy just 219 miles above the Earth, even lower than the International Space Station. This remarkable flyby will accelerate the spacecraft's velocity by four-and-a-half miles per second, positioning it for another speed boost during its second gravity assist scheduled for December 2024.

Lucy's mission aims to uncover valuable insights into the formation of planets by studying the Jupiter Trojans, making these Earth flybys crucial for the spacecraft's successful journey through space.