#NASA #Lucy Spacecraft Captures its 1st Images of Asteroid #Dinkinesh

Lucy took images while it was 14 million miles (23 million km) away from the asteroid, which is only about a half-mile wide (1 km). Over the next two months, Lucy will continue toward Dinkinesh until its closest approach of 265 miles (425 km) on Nov. 1, 2023

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2023/nasa-s-lucy-spacecraft-captures-its-1st-images-of-asteroid-dinkinesh

#NASA #LucyMission is about to meet its first asteroid November first

As this encounter is intended as a test of Lucy’s systems, scientific observations will be simpler than for the mission’s main targets.

During the Dinkinesh flyby, the team will test its terminal-tracking system that will allow the spacecraft to autonomously pinpoint the location of the asteroid, keeping it within the instruments’ field-of-view throughout the encounter.

https://science.nasa.gov/missions/lucy/nasas-lucy-spacecraft-preparing-for-its-first-asteroid-flyby/

#nasa #lucymission Lucy’s closest approach will occur at 12:54 p.m. EDT (16:54 UTC) at a distance within 270 miles (430 km) of #Dinkinesh. However, there won’t be much time to observe the asteroid at this distance as Lucy speeds past at 10,000 mph (4.5 km/s).