NASA is debating whether or not to attempt to repair a jammed photo voltaic panel on its newly launched Lucy spacecraft, en path to discover an unprecedented variety of asteroids.
The issue cropped up shortly after the spacecraft’s October 16 liftoff on a 12-year journey.
After measuring the electrical present this week, NASA reported Wednesday that certainly one of Lucy’s two large, round photo voltaic panels is simply between 75 per cent and 95 per cent prolonged. A lanyard is holding it in place.
Any try at reopening the wing — which is 24 ft in diameter — wouldn’t happen earlier than mid-November.
Thus far, the issue has not affected Lucy’s outbound flight, so there’s no rush to determine the subsequent step, officers stated. Every thing else on the spacecraft — already 3.7 million miles (6 million kilometers) away — is working correctly.
The mission’s lead scientist, Hal Levison of Southwest Analysis Institute, stated the workforce is inspired that the mixed energy from each photo voltaic panels “is conserving the spacecraft wholesome and functioning.”
“It’s too early to find out longer vary implications to the complete mission,” Levison stated in an electronic mail Thursday. Whereas the issue is regarding, “our workforce is working this very diligently and thoroughly to discover a workable resolution.”
The practically $1 billion mission seeks to discover seven so-called Trojan asteroids that share Jupiter’s orbit across the solar and one other house rock nearer to dwelling. Lucy ought to swoop inside 600 miles (965 kilometers) of every goal.
