NASA’s Lucy spacecraft, launched in 2021, has commenced its 12-year mission by capturing its inaugural images of the Dinkinesh asteroid. Discovered in 1999, Dinkinesh is a slow-rotating S-type asteroid primarily composed of silicates and some metal. It will be the Lucy mission’s first fly-by target on November 1, 2023, during its journey to the Trojan Clouds. The images were obtained using Lucy’s high-resolution camera, the Lucy Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (L’LORRI instrument). Lucy’s primary objective is to study Jupiter’s Trojans and main belt asteroids, contributing valuable insights into these celestial bodies.
Facts/Terms for UPSC Prelims
- Trojan Clouds: These are regions in space where groups of asteroids share the same orbit as a larger planet, such as Jupiter. Lucy’s mission involves exploring these Trojan asteroids to understand their origins and characteristics.
- S-type Asteroid: This classification signifies that Dinkinesh is composed primarily of silicate materials and some metal. S-type asteroids are common in the inner asteroid belt and offer insights into the early solar system’s composition.
- L’LORRI Instrument: The Lucy Long Range Reconnaissance Imager is a high-resolution camera aboard the Lucy spacecraft, designed to capture detailed images of asteroids and aid in the mission’s scientific objectives.
- Cape Canaveral Space Force Station: This is the launch site in Florida from which NASA’s Lucy spacecraft was launched in 2021. It serves as a key space launch facility for various missions.
- Jupiter’s Trojans: These are asteroids that share Jupiter’s orbit, positioned at Lagrange points 60 degrees ahead of and behind the planet. Studying these Trojans helps scientists understand the early history of our solar system and planetary migration processes.