A trajectory like never before
A trajectory like never before
After launch, Lucy will first gain momentum for its journey through the asteroid belt to its destination, the Trojans in Jupiter's orbit, by performing two close fly-bys of Earth, referred to as swing-by manoeuvres. Before that, Lucy will pass and investigate the asteroid Donaldjohanson in April 2025. In 2027, the spacecraft will arrive at the Trojan asteroids, which precede Jupiter at Lagrange point 4, the 'Greek camp'. Four close-up studies of asteroids will take place there. In 2028, Lucy's path leads back to Earth, where the spacecraft will be steered by the planet's gravity towards the Trojans at Lagrange Point 5, the gathering point of the 'Trojans' besieged by the Greeks. Here, in March 2033, Lucy will fly past the Greek 'spies' in the Trojan camp, the asteroid Patroclus and its binary companion Menoetius. Afterwards, Lucy will be on a hundred-thousand-year stable, highly elliptical orbit around the Sun between Earth and Jupiter. If sufficient resources are available, the spacecraft could even be steered once more to the L4 Trojans using another close flyby of Earth. Lucy's orbit is loop-shaped or S-shaped in this representation, which is fixed relative to Jupiter. In reality, however, the orbits between the inner Solar System and Jupiter's orbit are elliptical.
