13-03-2025
7 facts about the University of Hawaiʻi's new asteroid mission
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Since the beginning of time, humans have looked up at the stars and dreamed of exploring the universe.
This dream is becoming more of a reality with each passing year and as scientists hone their skills.
One exciting project currently happening is NASA's Lucy mission, which is on a quest to learn more about asteroids orbiting near Jupiter known as Trojans. These asteroids are thought to be ancient remnants from the early solar system.
And the University of Hawaii has been selected to be a part of this history making adventure.
Here are some facts to know:
1. Emily Costello joins the team: Emily Costello who is a planetary scientist at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is one of eight scientists who have been selected to help NASA study these asteroids. Her work focuses on understanding how meteor impacts have shaped the surfaces of these ancient space rocks. She is joining seven other scientists affiliated with universities and research companies from around the world.
'Impacts are a pervasive geological process on small bodies, so it is critical that we accurately decipher how these impacts shape the formation and evolution of the asteroids,' said Costello, who is a researcher at the Hawaiʻi Institute of Geophysics and Planetology in the UH Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST).
2. Trojan asteroids: The Jupiter Trojan asteroids are a group of small bodies that share an orbit with Jupiter around the Sun. These asteroids are important because they may hold clues about the early days of our solar system. The newly selected scientists will work closely with NASA and other mission team members to study the L4 Trojans during key flybys in 2027 and 2028.3. The role of impacts: Meteor impacts have changed the surface of these asteroids over billions of years. Costello will help NASA understand how these impacts mix up the surface layers and influence these asteroids' evolution.
'The history written and rewritten by impacts will influence the interpretation of all observations by the Lucy mission's scientific instruments that view Trojan surfaces,' Costello said. 'So, it's thrilling to be able to help interpret the first ever close-up look at these likely ancient asteroids.'
4. A 12-year mission: The Lucy spacecraft is on its way to study the L4 Trojan swarm. Launched in 2021, it will spend 12 years exploring the Trojan asteroids and other nearby space rocks. It will be the first mission to visit this group of asteroids and will help scientists gather valuable data about the formation of our solar system. Along the way, it will use gravity from Earth to help speed up its journey!
5. Named after a fossil: The mission is named after 'Lucy', the famous Ethiopian fossil of an early human ancestor, which helped scientists learn more about human evolution. Just like the fossil, the Lucy mission will help us understand the history of our solar system.
6. Groundbreaking mission: This group of scientists is the first selection of participating scientists for the Lucy mission, and they'll help guide the spacecraft's investigations over the next decade.
7. Joint endeavor: The Lucy mission is managed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, and Lockheed Martin Space built and operates the spacecraft.
NASA's Lucy mission is a groundbreaking journey, and the L4 Trojans Participating Scientist Program plays a big role in answering the many questions scientists have about these mysterious space rocks.
This mission is truly a team effort, with scientists from around the world working together to answer some of space's most pressing questions!
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Their research will help uncover important information about the history and formation of our solar system. They will stay involved until 2030 and will continue to analyze the data Lucy sends back.
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