>> HELLO AND WELCOME TO ANOTHER
EPISODE OF NASA SCIENCE LIVE.
I'M YOUR HOST MEGAN CRUZ AND I'M
SO HAPPY YOU CAN JOIN US LIVE.
BELIEVE ME YOU COULD FEEL THE
EXCITEMENT IN THE AIR HERE AS
NASA PREPARES TO LAUNCH LUCY
EARLY TOMORROW MORNING.
LUCY WILL BE THE VERY FIRST
SPACECRAFT TO STUDY THE TROJAN
ASTEROIDS WHICH ORBIT THE SUN IN
TWO GROUPS.
ONE, IN FRONT OF JUPITER'S PATH
AND THE OTHER BEHIND.
IT WILL TAKE 12 YEARS TO VISIT 8
DIFFERENT ASTEROIDS.
THAT'S THE MOST DESTINATIONS OF
ANY SPACE MISSION EVER.
AND YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING WHY
ARE WE STUDYING ASTEROIDS?
ASTEROIDS ARE TRULY PRISTINE
REMNANTS AT A TIME WHEN PLANETS
WERE FORMING.
THIS MAKES THEM PRE HISTORIC
TREASURES.
THE MORE WE STUDY THEM THE MORE
WE CAN DECIPHER HOW LIFE CAME TO
BE.
I'LL MEET UP WITH SOME SPECIAL
GUESTS WHO CAN TESTIMONY US MORE
ABOUT THE TROJANS BUT IN THE
MEANTIME THIS MIGHT BE HELPFUL.
>> WHAT ARE TROJAN ASTEROIDS?
LET'S BEGIN BY GOING BACK OVER 4
BILLION YEARS WHEN THE NEWLY
FORMED SOLAR SYSTEM CONSISTED OF
TRILLIONS OF TINY LITTLE ROCKS
AND ICY OBJECTS.
MANY OF THESE OBJECTS CAME
TOGETHER TO FORM THE PLANETS.
THE MINORITY OF THE OTHERS WERE
SCATTERED INTO THE DISTANT
REACHES OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM AND
BEYOND.
BUT NOT ALL OF THEM.
SOME OF THEM ARE PRISTINE
ASTEROIDS THAT ORBIT WITH
JUPITER AND TWO HUGE FORMS
LEADING AND TRAILING THE PLANET.
THEY'RE KNOWN AS THE TROJAN
ASTEROIDS.
THEY'RE HEALY MYSTERIOUS AND WE
THINK THAT THEY COME FROM THE
OUTER SOLAR SYSTEM AND ALSO
REALLY SPECIAL IN TERMS OF
UNDERSTANDING THE EVOLUTION OF
THE SOLAR SYSTEM AND
UNDERSTANDING THE EVOLUTION OF
THE PLANETS BECAUSE THEY HAVE
REMAINED GRAVITATIONALLY STABLE
FOR OVER BILLIONS OF YEARS AND
ASTRONOMERS HAVE ONLY BEEN ABLE
TO STUDY THESE DISTANT AND
ENIGMATIC SMALL BODIES FROM
EARTH BUT ALL OF THAT IS ABOUT
TO CHANGE.
NASA'S MISSION WILL EMBARK ON A
12 YEAR JOURNEY TO VISIT THESE
PRIMITIVE ASTROIDS AND IS IT
WILL BE EXCITING BECAUSE IT WILL
BE THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'RE
ABLE TO SEE THESE OBJECTS UP
CLOSE.
WHAT ARE THEY?
THEY ORBIT WITH JUPITER AROUND
THE SUN THAT ULTIMATELY HOLD THE
CLUES TO FORMATION OF OUR SOLAR
SYSTEM.
AND I BET SOME OF YOU AT HOME
HAVE EVEN MORE QUESTIONS.
THAT'S WONDERFUL.
WE WANT THEM.
PLEASE SEND THEM IN.
JUST REMEMBER TO USE THE
#ASKNASA OR DROP THOSE QUESTIONS
IN THE COMMENT BOXES WHEREVER
YOU'RE WATCHING THIS SHOW.
BUT I ACTUALLY HAVE SOME
QUESTIONS OF MY OWN AND THAT'S
WHY I HAVE THESE TWO JOINING ME
TODAY.
THIS IS KARLY.
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF DEPARTMENT
OF SPACE STUDIES AT THE
SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE.
THAT IS A MOUTHFUL AND WILL
SANTIAGO DEEP SPACE ENGINEER AT
LOCKHEED MARTIN.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME.
>> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE FACT
THAT NASA HAS VISITED ASTROIDS
BEFORE AND WE HAVE ONE COMING
BACK TO EARTH AS WE SPEAK.
WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT LUCY IS
THAT LUCY IS NOT JUST VISITING
ONE ASTEROID, NOT TWO, BUT A
RECORD BREAKING 8 ASTEROIDS.
CAN YOU TELL ME WHY THAT'S
SIGNIFICANT?
>> WE DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT
JUPITER'S TROJAN ASTEROIDS, SO
BY VISITING 8 IN TOTAL OVER THE
MISSION LIFETIME, WE'LL REALLY
BETTER UNDERSTAND ALL ABOUT THE
ASTEROIDS.
SO IF YOU ONLY SEE ONE MAYBE YOU
GOT SORT OF A BIT OF A FUNNY
ONE.
BUT BY SEEING 8 YOU GET TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON IN
THIS POPULATION.
IT REALLY EXCITING AND WE'LL SEE
THEM UP CLOSE AND UNDERSTAND
THEIR COLOR AND COMPOSITION AND
TRY TO LOOK WHAT THEY MIGHT BE
LIKE INSIDE AND LEARN SO MUCH
ABOUT THE ASTEROID POPULATION AS
A WHOLE THROUGHOUT THIS MISSION.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
LUCY IS INTERESTING BECAUSE IT
TIES INTO NASA'S OVERALL
ASTEROID RESEARCH.
CAN YOU TALK TO US ABOUT THOSE
OTHER PROJECTS.
>> THERE IS A LOT GOING ON SO OF
COURSE THE OSIRIS-REx MISSION IS
BRINGING BACK A SAMPLE AND THE
DART MISSION WILL TRY TO
REDIRECT ASTEROID AND LUCY HAS A
MISSION THAT'S CALLED PSYCHE
THAT GOES TO THE ASTEROID'S
PSYCHE WHICH WE THINK IS A
RECOMMEND INABILITY.
WE THOUGHT IT WAS A LARGER
PLANET THAT HAD THE OUTSIDE
BLOWN AWAY AND WE'LL LOOK AT THE
INSIDE OF THIS ASTEROID WITH
THAT MISSION AND IT WILL BE A
GREAT FEW YEARS FOR ASTEROID
SCIENCE.
>> IT'S REALLY VERY FASCINATING
AND I LOVE THAT THERE IS SO
MUCH.
NOW WILL, LUCY IS SET TO LAUNCH
TOMORROW.
5:34 A.M. EASTERN TIME.
SOON AFTER WE'LL SEE HER TWO
VERY LARGE SOLAR ARRAYS
DEPLOYED.
WHY ARE THEY SO BIG?
>> WE WERE TALKING EARLIER ABOUT
BREAKING RECORDS SO IT WILL BE A
RECORD BREAKER TO THE SPACECRAFT
THAT IS ORBITING JUPITER AND GO
FURTHER AWAY ON SOLAR POWER THAN
EVER BEFORE.
THE TROJANS ARE VERY FAR FROM
THE SUN.
SO WE HAVE OVER 7,000 SOLAR
CELLS THAT GIVE US THE ENERGY WE
NEED TO RUN THE INSTRUMENTS AND
SPACECRAFT OUT THERE AT THAT
DISTANCE WE RUN THE SPACECRAFT
WITH ABOUT 500 WATTS.
SO MUCH LESS THAN THE POWER.
WE COULD NOT RUN A MICROWAVE OUT
THERE.
>> THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING.
THAT REALLY PUTS IT IN
PERSPECTIVE.
HOW MUCH POWER IT ACTUALLY HAS
TO WORK.
NOW, THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS.
YOU ABOUT I HEAR WE'RE GETTING
INTERESTING ONES FROM VIEWERS
WHICH IS WONDERFUL.
KEEP THEM COMING.
AGAIN A REMINDER USE THAT
#ASKNASA OR JUST DROP THEM IN
THE COMMENT BOX.
I PROMISE.
IT WILL BE WILL AND KARLY
ANSWERING THOSE QUESTIONS.
I'LL BRING THEM BACK BECAUSE I
KNOW I WON'T BE ABLE TO ANSWER
ALL YOUR QUESTIONS.
IN THE MEANTIME WHAT SO YOU
ABOUT TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT
THE ROCKET THAT WILL LAUNCH
LUCY?
LOOK AT THIS VIDEO NOW BY MY
COLLEAGUE JAMES TRALEY.
>> OH MY GOSH.
WE ARE JUST AROUND THE CORNER
RIGHT NOW.
I GOT A LITTLE GLIMPSE OF THE
LAUNCH PAD.
I CAN SEE IT RIGHT HERE IN FRONT
OF ME.
OH, WOW.
IT'S RIGHT THERE.
OH MY GOODNESS.
ALL RIGHT.
WE ARE LITERALLY LIKE MAYBE 300
FEET AWAY FROM THE LUCY
SPACECRAFT ON THE LS5 ROCKET.
I THINK WE'LL BE TAKING AN
ELEVATOR UP TO THE TOP OF THIS
LAUNCH TO SEE LUCY UP CLOSE AND
WE'RE SOME OF THE LAST WEEK TO
BE SEEING LUCY BEFORE SHE BLASTS
OFF INTO SPACE.
IT'S A LONG MISSION AHEAD.
AND YEAH, SUPER THRILLED TO
SHARE THIS MOMENT WITH AND TAKE
YOU ALONG FOR THE RIDE.
>> HOW'S IT GOING.
SO NICE TO MEET YOU.
>> YOU AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU FOR TAKING US
AROUND.
THIS IS INCREDIBLE.
OH MY GOSH.
>> THIS ROCKET IS MASSIVE.
>> YEAH.
THE SCALE OF IT.
200 YOU FEET TALL.
>> I'M JOINED TODAY BY ISAAC AND
WE'RE STANDING DIRECTLY FRONT OF
THE LUCY SPACECRAFT ATOP A
ROCKET.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SCALE OF
THIS THING.
IT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE TO TAKE A
STEP BACK AND APPRECIATE THE
SHEER MAGNITUDE.
CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THE
DIMENSIONS, KIND OF WHAT IS ALL
POWERING LUCY?
>> LUCY RIGHT NOW IS SITTING ON
OUR 401 AT LAST 5 CONFIGURATION.
190 FEET TALL.
SO WE HAVE THE ENTIRE VEHICLE
SITTING ON OUR MOBILE LAUNCH
PROGRAM.
1.3 MILLION POUNDS STEEL
STRUCTURE AND ATLAS BOOSTER AND
SPACECRAFT.
>> IT'S NOT SMALL ITSELF.
IT'S PRETTY LARGE.
>> NO IT'S SMALL.
IT WEIGHS 3300 POUNDS AND HALF
OF THAT IS THE FUEL.
AND SO, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE
SOLAR ARRAYS.
THE SOLAR ARRAYS -- SO THEY'RE
ABOUT 4 INCHES THICK.
BUT WHEN THEY'RE DEPLOYED
THEY'RE 7.2 METERS IN DIAMETER.
SO IF YOU WERE TO TAKE THE
SPACECRAFT WITH THE SOLAR ARRAYS
DEPLOYED AND TIP IT ON THE SIDE
IT WOULD BE AS TALL AS A 4 STORY
BUILDING.
>> THEY'RE DESIGNED FOR THIS
MISSION FOR THIS EXACT REASON.
>> LUCY WILL TRAVEL 4 BILLION
MILES IN 12 YEAR'S TIME AND IT'S
TRAVELING FAR FROM THE SUN.
AS A MATTER OF FACT IT'S GOING
TO BE TRAVELING ON SOLAR POWER
AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED MASSIVE
SOLAR ARRAYS.
>> IT'S A LONG JOURNEY AHEAD.
BUT THERE'S ALREADY BEEN QUITE A
JOURNEY TO GET US PREPARED.
WALK US THROUGH THE PATH 14
MONTHS DURING THE PANDEMIC.
>> EXCITING.
WE ACTUALLY STARTED SPACECRAFT
INTEGRATION AND TESTING IN JULY
OF 2020.
THINK ABOUT IT.
14 MONTHS, FULLY INTEGRATING THE
SPACECRAFT AND THE PAYLOAD, THE
INSTRUMENTS DURING A PANDEMIC
AND TESTING THROUGH AN ENTIRE
ENVIRONMENTAL TEST CAMPAIGN
WHICH STIMULATES SPACE AND GIVES
US CONFIDENCE THAT IT'S GOING TO
SURVIVE THE FULL MISSION.
>> THAT'S AMAZING.
AND THEN ALSO JUST THE JOURNEY
TO GET THE SPACECRAFT FROM ALL
THE INDIVIDUAL PARTS AND
ASSEMBLED AND THEN TO HERE.
WHAT'S THE PROCESS ON THE
GROUND?
>> ONCE WE LAND IT, WE HAVE
ABOUT 7 WEEKS IN WHICH WE
REINTEGRATE THE HARDWARE, AND UP
DATED FLIGHT SOFTWARE AND
FUNCTIONAL TESTING TO VERIFY WE
DIDN'T BREAK ANYTHING AND THEN
REFUEL THE SPACECRAFT AND DO OUR
FINAL FUNCTIONAL AND SPACECRAFT
IS CURRENTLY POWERED UP AND
WE'RE MONITORING UP 24/7.
>> AND THEN WHAT IS IT GOING TO
BE LIKE DAY OF THE LAUNCH AS
WELL?
REALLY LONG BEFORE SUNRISE TO
GET IT READY?
>> WELL, OUR CREW WILL BE COMING
10 O'CLOCK THE MIGHT BEFORE FOR
PRELAUNCH SECURING SO WE'LL GO
THROUGH ALL OF THE FINAL CLOSE
OUTS AND FINAL PAD PREP AND
PULLING THE COVER OVER THE FLAME
BUCKET WHERE THE EXHAUST WILL GO
AND DOING ALL OUR FINAL PREPS
AND THEN CLEARING THE PADS AT
ROUGHLY 2:30 IN THE MORNING AND
AT LIFTOFF 860,000 POUNDS OF
THRUST AT SEA LEVEL WILL TAKE
LUCY ON ITS JOURNEY.
>> AND THEN WE'RE ON OUR WAY.
IT'S A 12-YEAR LONG JOURNEY AND
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS.
SUPER EXCITING AND LONG MISSION
AHEAD AND A LOT OF COOL
DISCOVERIES WAITING FOR US OUT
THERE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME I MEAN A
LITTLE BIT OF SADNESS HERE
BECAUSE THIS IS THE LAST TIME
WE'LL BE THIS CLOSE TO LUCY
SPACECRAFT.
>> YES, IT IS.
AS A PROJECT MANAGER MY TENURE
ON LUCY WILL BE ENDING SOON.
SO IT IS A LITTLE SAD, BUT IT'S
AWFULLY EXCITING.
IT'S EXCITING AND I WILL BE
WAITING WITH BATED BREATH.
I KNOW WHAT WE THINK WE'LL FIND,
BUT I'M EXCITED FOR THE NEW
DISCOVERIES AND UNEXPECTED.
THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD
TO.
AND WE'LL BE FOLLOWING THIS
MISSION AND WAITING FOR IT TO
REWRITE.
>> OBVIOUSLY NOT YOUR FIRST
RODEO.
YOU SPENT MANY MISSIONS IN
SPACE.
WHAT KEEPS YOU COMING BACK EVERY
SINGLE TIME TO LAUNCH ANOTHER
MISSION?
>> IT'S SOMETHING WHERE YOU
THINK IT WOULD GET ROUTINE AND
EVERY MISSION AND EVERY LAUNCH
THAT FINAL COUNTDOWN IF YOU'RE
NOT GETTING BUTTERFLIES THEN
YOU'RE IN THE RIGHT BUSINESS.
>> IT'S EXCITING.
>> ENJOY WHAT YOU SEE AND TAKE
PRIDE IN ALL THE HARD WORK.
EVERYONE HAS DONE TO CONTRIBUTE
TO THE SUCCESS OF THE MISSION.
>> IT TAKES THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
TO GET WHERE WE ARE TODAY AND ON
TOP OF THAT BEYOND THOSE THAT
DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTE IT'S
SOMETHING THAT A MISSION AS
SPECIAL AS THIS THAT REALLY
EVERYONE IS ABLE TO SHARE A PART
OF AND IS EVERYONE IS ABLE TO
FOLLOW FOR ITS ENTIRE JOURNEY.
SO SOMETHING WHERE EVEN PEOPLE
AT HOME CAN EXPERIENCE THE
LAUNCH AND MISSION AND FOLLOW
ALONG WITH IT.
IT'S REALLY SPECIAL.
>> WISHING YOU GUYS THE BEST OF
LUCK.
THANK YOU BOTH AND
CONGRATULATIONS ON ALL THAT
HAPPENED AND BEST OF LUCK OVER
THE NEXT 12 YEARS ON THIS LONG
JOURNEY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
APPRECIATE IT.
>> IF YOU ARE JUST TUNING IN WE
WITH ARE LIVE FROM KENNEDY SPACE
CENTER JUST 12 HOURS AWAY FROM
NASA LAUNCHING LUCY, THE FIRST
SPACECRAFT TO VISIT THE TROJAN
ASTEROIDS TO HOPEFULLY UNFOLD
THE STORY OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.
AS YOU KNOW LUCY IS ON A
12-YEAR MISSION SO THAT MEANS WE
REALLY NEED TO START THINKING
ABOUT TRAINING THE NEXT
GENERATION OF SCIENTISTS AND
ENGINEERS SO THAT HOPEFULLY THEY
TAKE ON THOSE LEADERSHIP ROLES
AS LUCY PROGRESSES.
THAT'S WHY NASA CREATED A FREE
ONLINE INTERACTIVE PROGRAM OPEN
TO UNDERGRADUATE STEM STUDENTS.
AND ACTUALLY JOINING ME TODAY
ARE TWO FORMER SPACE ACADEMY
STUDENTS BRITNEY WILBERT.
I'LL START WITH YOU.
TALK TO ME HOW IT FELT TO BE
PART OF THE SPACE ACADEMY.
>> IT'S ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.
I THINK IT REALLY TRANSFORMS
JUST THE WAY THAT I VIEW LIFE.
I WAS TESTED NOT ONLY IN TERMS
OF RIDING TECHNICAL PAPERS BUT
ALSO IN COMBINING ENGINEERING
WITH CREATIVITY WHICH I THINK A
LOT OF ENGINEERS SOMETIMES MIGHT
FIND HARD TO DO AND I FEEL LIKE
I ALSO WAS ABLE TO JUST
CULTIVATE A SPACE OF MENTORS AND
A SPACE OF JUST A COMMUNITY THAT
REALLY WANTS TO SEE ME SUCCEED
AND EACH OTHER.
SO BEING ABLE GO THROUGH THE
PROGRAM AS A STUDENT AND NOW
TURNING AROUND AND BEING A
MENTOR IS CRAZY IMAGING I CAN
IMPACT PEOPLE'S LIVES THE WHAT
SAME WAY THEY IMPACTED MINE.
OVERALL IT HAS A TREMENDOUS
IMPACT ON MY LIFE.
IT JUMP STARTED MY CAREER WHICH
WAS INSANE AND HAD A HEAVY
IMPACT ON PERSONAL AND ACADEMIC
LIFE.
IT WAS LIFE CHANGING.
>> WILBUR, DO YOU SHARE THAT?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
I WAS ACTUALLY PART OF THE FIRST
EVER SPACE ACADEMY BACK IN 2018
AND I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS
DAY FOR THREE YEARS NOW.
WHEN I WHAT YOU IN THIS ACADEMY
I WAS IN MY SECOND YEAR OF
SCHOOL AND THAT HE WHEN I
STARTED LEARNING ABOUT WHAT IT
TAKES TO DESIGN AND FLY MISSIONS
TO SPACE AND THAT GAVE ME THOSE
SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE THAT I HAVE
BEEN IMPLEMENTING IN MY CAREER
NOW AND ALSO PROVIDED ME WITH MY
FIRST NASA INTERNSHIP WORKING
WITH THE MISSION AND ALSO
ALLOWED ME TO SHARE MY PASSION
FOR SPACE BY BEING A LUCY
ASTEROID AMBASSADOR AND
COMMUNICATING THE GREAT SCIENCE
THAT WILL BE DONE BY THIS
MISSION IN THE COMING YEARS.
>> SOUNDS LIKE IT OPENED A LOT
OF DOORS FOR YOU AND SPEAKING OF
THE COMING YEARS, WHERE DO YOU
THINK YOU'LL BE WHEN THAT
HAPPENS?
>> WELL, THANKS TO THE SPACE
ACADEMY I THINK I'LL BE
DESIGNING AND BUILDING AND
FLYING MY OWN MISSIONS AT NASA
OR ANOTHER COMPANY AND I'M ALSO
GOING TO BE LOOKING FORWARD TO
WHAT LUCY WILL DISCOVER IN THE
ASTEROIDS.
>> WHAT ABOUT YOU?
>> I THINK I'M DEFINITELY GOING
TO BE FOLLOWING UP ON THE
SCIENCE OF LUCY.
BECAUSE IT'S IMPACTED NOT ONLY
MY LIFE AND NOT ONLY THE
CREATION OF THE SPACE ACADEMY
BUT THE LIVES OF THE COUNTLESS
PEOPLE WHO WORKED ON IT.
SO I'LL BE FOLLOWING UP.
AS FOR MYSELF HOPE.
LY I'LL HAVE A PH.D. OR MASTERS
AND HOPEFULLY I'LL BE MAKING THE
NEXT LUCY.
IF NOT THAT I'D LIKE TO BE AN
ASTRONAUT.
I FELT MY DREAM OF BEING AN
ASTRONAUT BUT BEING HERE NOT
ONLY PHYSICALLY FOR THE LAUNCH
JUST IN THE PRESENCE OF SO MANY
SMART AND TALENTED INDIVIDUALS
THAT NOT ONLY WORKED ON LUCY BUT
THE PEOPLE THAT WARPED THE
CREATION OF LUCY AND FOLLOWED UP
ON THE NASA NEWS AS WELL MADE ME
REALIZE THAT ALL MY DREAMS ARE
CLOSER TO BEING REALITY THAN
REALIZED
>> I BELIEVE IN BOTH OF YOU.
I THINK YOU'LL COME UP WITH
AMAZING THINGS.
THIS IS REALLY WONDERFUL.
IT'S STILL BLOWING MY MIND THAT
ARE STUDENTS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL
CLASSROOMS THAT COULD BE TAKING
PART IN LUCY.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE KIDS
WATCHING IF THIS IS AN
OPPORTUNITY?
>> I THINK IT'S HARD TO GIVE
ADVICE BECAUSE I'M SO YOUNG
MYSELF.
I FEEL LIKE I'M FIGURING OUT
MOST OF THE TIME.
BUT ONE THING THAT I LEARNED IN
MY 21 YEARS OF LIFE IS THAT THE
ENVIRONMENT YOU'RE IN SHAPES THE
WAY YOU THINK AND REALLY SHAPES
THE WAY THAT YOU NAVIGATE THE
WORLD.
I WOULD SAY TO YOUNG KIDS IF
THEY'RE ABLE TO FIND A TEACHER
OR PARENT OR FRIEND'S PARENT OR
FRIEND, JUST FIND AGO GROUP OF
PEOPLE WHO WILL SUPPORT YOU AND
YOUR DREAMS AND PASSIONS AND
PEOPLE WHO TELL YOU TO KEEP
GOING, THEY'LL REMIND YOU THAT
THE SUN WILL COME OUT AGAIN, I
FEEL LYING CULTIVATING THAT TYPE
OF COMMUNITY IS IMPORTANT AS
WELL AS JUST MAKING SURE THAT
YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO TEACH YOU
HOW TO HAVE GRIT AND
PERSEVERANCE AND KEEP YOU GOING
EVEN THROUGH THE TOUGH TIMES
BECAUSE STEM IS VERY HARD AT
TIMES.
AND I FEEL LIKE I'VE HAD THAT IN
MY OWN LIFE AND I NEVER THOUGHT
I WOULD BE HERE TALKING FOR A
NASA PROGRAM.
I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD EVEN OF
THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK AT
NASA'S JET PROPULSION LABORATORY
AND HERE I AM.
I HOPE THAT THEY SEE THEMSELVES
IN ME AND KNOW THAT IF I MADE IT
THEY DEFINITELY CAN MAKE IT TOO.
>> GOOD TO HAVE THAT SUPPORT
SYSTEM.
>> I WILL ECHO THOSE SENTIMENTS.
BEING A LATINO AND BEING IN
SPACE IS IMPORTANT TO ME.
BEING ABLE TO GET TO KNOW A LOT
OF PEOPLE IN SPACE THAT COME
FROM PUERTO RICO AND ALSO FOUND
A LOT OF SUPPORT.
PEOPLE THAT HAVE ALLOWED ME TO
PERSEVERE AND MOVE FORWARD AND
BE MY MENTOR AND I THINK THAT TO
FIND PEOPLE THAT HAVE YOUR SAME
PASSIONS BUT ALSO HAVE DIFFERENT
LIFE EXPERIENCES I FOUND THAT
WHEN YOU HAVE TEAMS PEOPLE THAT
COME FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES
AND DIFFERENT ACADEMIC MAJORS
YOU'LL HAVE A BETTER TEAM AND A
BETTER PRODUCT AND BETTER
MISSION AND THAT IS CRUCIAL FOR
EVERYTHING BOTH IN SPACE AND ON
EARTH.
AND JUST TO LEAD YOUR LIFE AND
ACHIEVE YOUR DREAMS.
>> IT'S SO IMPORTANT AND I'M
GLAD THAT BOTH OF YOU POINTED
THAT OUT TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT ADVICE.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.
>> GO LUCY, THAT'S RIGHT.
>> LUCY IS A 12 YEAR LONG
MISSION.
IF YOU'RE AN UNDERGRAD OR HIGH
SCHOOL OR MIDDLE SCHOOL THERE
MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU.
LOOK UP AT YOUR SCREEN.
CHECK OUT THAT WEBSITE.
IT'S THE L ASU.EDU.
LET'S FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS TO
LUCY AFTER SHE LIFTS OFF THE
LAUNCH PAD.
>> NASA'S LUCY MISSION WILL BE
THE FIRST MISSION TO EXPLORE THE
TROJAN ASTEROIDS.
THESE ARE ASTEROIDS THAT LIVE IN
TWO SWARMS, ONE THAT'S A HEAD OF
JUPITER AND ANOTHER BEHIND.
WE WANT TO GO AND LOOK AT THESE
BUILDING BLOCKS OF THE PLANETS,
THE ONES THAT DIDN'T GET
ACCUMULATED INTO THE PLANETS TO
REALLY LEARN ABOUT THE EVOLUTION
OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.
EARLY IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM THE
GIANT PLANETS WERE MIGRATING
OUTWARD AWAY FROM THE SUN AND AT
ONE POINT THERE WAS CHAOS IN THE
SOLAR SYSTEM, SOME SMALL BODIES
WERE EJECTED OUT OF THE SOLAR
SYSTEM AND OTHERS COULD HAVE
BEEN TRAPPED IN THESE POINTS AND
THAT'S ONE THEORY FOR HOW THE
TROJAN ASTEROIDS CAME TO BE
WHERE THEY ARE TODAY.
LUCY HAS THREE SCIENTIFIC
INSTRUMENTS ON BOARD THIS
SPACECRAFT AND WILL ALSO BE
USING 2 OF THE SUBSYSTEMS.
WITH THE INSTRUMENT WE'LL BE
ABLE TO GET IMAGES WHICH WILL
TELL US ABOUT THE GEOLOGY AND
GREATER HISTORY.
WITH THE TEST INSTRUMENT WE'LL
BE ABLE TO MEASURE THE
TEMPERATURE AND WITH THE RALPH
INSTRUMENT WE'LL BE ABLE TO
MEASURE THE COMPOSITION.
WE REALLY HAVE NEVER SEEN TROJAN
ASTEROIDS UP CLOSE BEFORE.
AND WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND THEIR
GEOLOGY AND LOOK AT THE CRATERS
ON THE SURFACE TO UNDERSTAND THE
HISTORY OF THEIR SURFACES AND
COMPOSITION OF THEIR SURFACES SO
WE CAN LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT
WHERE THEY FORMED AND ALL OF
THOSE WILL BE CLUES TO HELP US
UNDERSTAND HOW THE SOLAR SYSTEM
EVOLVED.
>> AS PROMISED I'M BACK WITH
WILL AND KARLY TO ANSWER SOME OF
YOUR QUESTIONS AND YOU CAN KEEP
THEM COMING.
#ASKNASA OR DROP THEM IN A THE
COMMENT BOX.
A TEAM OF PEOPLE MONITORING
THOSE SO WE CAN GET AS MANY AS
POSSIBLE DURING THE SHOW.
OKAY, OUR FIRST QUESTION, ARE
YOU GUYS READY?
>> LET'S DO IT.
>> GRETA ON FACEBOOK ASKS, WHY
IS THE MISSION NAMED LUCY?
>> GREAT QUESTION.
MOST MISSIONS OR ACRONYMS BUT
THIS IS JUST A NAME AND IN
REFERENCE TO THE HOMINID THAT
WAS DISCOVERED IN ETHIOPIA AND
THIS FOSSIL WAS IMPORTANT TO
UNDERSTAND HOW HUMANS HAD
EVOLVED A MISSING PIECE THAT
THAT RECORD AND IS LUCY THE
SPACECRAFT WILL LOOK AT THESE
TROJAN ASTEROIDS AND WE THINK
IT'S GOING TO DISCOVER THESE
SORT OF FOSSILS OF SOLAR SYSTEM
FORMATION AND A NOD TOWARDS THE
EARTH ARCHEOLOGY AS WE GO INTO
OUR SPACE ARCHEOLOGY.
>> I LOVE THAT AND I THINK IT'S
SO APPROPRIATE.
WE ALSO HAVE WENDY ON FACEBOOK.
WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO LEARN ON
THIS MISSION?
>> SO MUCH.
WE HAVE NEVER BEEN THERE BEFORE.
IT'S LIKE GOING TO A TOTALLY
DIFFERENT WORLD.
WE'RE HOPING TO LEARN ABOUT THE
COMPOSITION.
WE HAVE THESE INSTRUMENTS ON
BOARD TO GIVE US THAT SCIENTIFIC
DATA.
COMPOSITION THINGS LIKE THE
SURFACE PROPERTIES AND
TEMPERATURE OF THESE ASTEROIDS
POTENTIALLY IS THEIR WATER ICE
OR OTHER TYPES OF EXOTIC ICES
AND THAT WILL TELL US ABOUT THE
FORMATION AND HISTORY WHERE THE
ASTEROIDS FORMED AND WHAT THE
MAIN INGREDIENTS WERE EARLY ON.
>> WHY DO YOU THINK IT'S SO
IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW IT
FORMED?
>> IT'S PART OF OUR HISTORY.
UNDERSTANDING HOW SOLAR SYSTEMS
FORMED, WHAT THOSE INGREDIENTS
THAT CREATED OUR PLANETS IT'S
LIKE GOING BACK IT IN TIME.
THEY ARE TIME CAPSULES, RIGHT.
DISCOVERING THAT FOSSIL TELLS US
A LOT ABOUT OUR HUMAN HISTORY.
SO UNDERSTANDING THE ASTEROIDS
WILL CALIBRATE OUR MODEL AND
BEYOND.
>> WILL LUCY HAVE THE ABILITY TO
REDIRECT OR MAKE COURSE
ADJUSTMENTS SHOULD THERE BE ANY
HAZARD ONCE SEPARATED FROM THE
ATLAS AND IN FULL FLIGHT?
>> SO THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
OF COURSE WHENEVER YOU EXPLORE
SOMEWHERE NEW THERE ARE SOME
HAZARDS.
WII BEEN LOOKING AT THIS REGION
OF SPACE SINCE LUCY WAS SELECTED
WITH THE BEST TELESCOPES WE HAVE
SO WE THINK WE HAVE AN IDEA.
WE HAVE THESE ENORMOUS SOLAR
PANELS SO MOVING THAT BIG MASS
WILL BE REALLY DIFFICULT SO
THERE ARE THINGS WE CAN DO.
WE'LL BE LOOKING AHEAD WITH OUR
CAMERA SYSTEMS TO SEE IF THERE
IS ANYTHING.
WE WON'T BE DOING A U-TURN LET'S
JUST PUT IT LIKE THAT.
>> A U-TURN IS NOT EASY.
>> A LOT OF PLANNING REQUIRED.
>> AND FOLLOW-UP TO THAT.
WILL LUCY BE ABLE TO ADJUST TO
TARGET ASTEROIDS?
IS THAT THE SAME THING?
>> NOMINAL MISSION HAS BEEN SET
FOR THE NEXT 12 YEARS.
WE KNOW WHAT TARGET SHE'LL SEE.
THE BONUS ASTEROIDS MIGHT COME
IN IF WE DISCOVER THAT SOME OF
THEM HAVE MOVED.
LUCY'S FIRST TARGET HAS A MOON
DISCOVERED ONLY A FEW YEARS AGO
AND SO WHEN WE FLY PAST THERE WE
GET A BONUS MOON.
MAYBE WE'LL BE SEEING MORE UP
CLOSE IF THEY HAVE MOONS.
IF EVERYTHING WORKS WE'LL BE
APPLYING I'M SURE TO SEE MORE
ASTEROIDS AND WE'LL DO SOME
MANEUVERS CALLED TCM'S TO ALLOW
US TO DO OTHER FLY BYES.
BUT WHENEVER YOU DO THAT YOU
BURN FUEL SO THAT'S A LIMITED
RESOURCE.
WE'RE VERY CAREFUL WITH THAT.
>> AND CARROLL ON FACEBOOK ASKS,
THE DEDICATIONS ON LUCY TO THE
PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN SO INVOLVED
ARE VERY TOUCHING AND BRING
EVERYTHING BACK TO THE HUMAN
SCALE.
DO YOU DO THIS ON EVERY MISSION?
>> WE TRY TO, YES.
WE TRY TO MAKE IT FUN.
THESE ARE HUMAN MISSIONS TO US.
THEY'RE ROBOTIC BUT HUMAN.
PEOPLE SPEND THEIR CAREERS ON
THIS.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE LUCY
THAT MAYBE THE NEXT GENERATION
CAN FIND ORBITING THAT BEAUTIFUL
ORBIT THAT'S PART ART.
SO IT'S AMAZING.
WE LIKE TO HAVE FUN AND WE --
IT'S AN AMAZING TEAM.
>> I'M SO EXCITED FOR YOU TO SEE
THIS COME TO FRUITION AFTER SO
MUCH HARD WORK.
JUDY ASKS, WHAT IS THE TIMELINE
FOR DATA BEING TRANSMITTED TO BE
ANALYZED?
WE HAVE A 7-YEAR-OLD
GRANDDAUGHTER LUCY WHO IS
FOLLOWING THIS MISSION.
AS SHE SHOULD.
WHAT'S THE TIME LIMIT YOU MIGHT
GET DATA BACK?
>> THE QUICK ANSWER DEPENDS ON
WHERE WE ARE IN THE ORBIT.
LUCY LAUNCHES AND THEN WE DO TWO
EARTH GRAVITY ASSISTS.
SO WHEN WE'RE CLOSE TO THE EARTH
IT'S QUICK.
THE FURTHER WE GO THE LONGER
IT'S GOING TO TAKE.
AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE JUPITER
TROJAN ASTEROIDS IT'S GOING TO
BE LONGER BUT IT'S QUICK BY
SOLAR SYSTEM STANDARDS.
SO WE'LL BE GETTING PROBABLY
IMAGES OF EARTH'S MOON DURING
THOSE ASSISTS.
SO THAT WILL BE DOWN WITHIN THE
NEXT YEAR.
SO WE'RE EXPECTING TO BE A
LITTLE BIT OF DELAY AND DOES
TAKE TIME BUT WE'LL BE STARTING
TO SEE DATA THROUGH NEXT YEAR
THROUGHOUT THE MISSION.
>> THAT'S AMAZING.
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT TO FIND OUT
ABOUT HOW THE PLANETS FORMED?
ANY GUESSES?
>> SO, WE'RE GOING TO LEARN A
LOT ABOUT THE COMPOSITION AND
THAT WILL TELL US A LOT ABOUT
THE -- WHAT WAS AVAILABLE IN
THAT REGION OF SPACE WHEN THESE
BODIES FORMED.
THEY HAVEN'T CHANGED WE THE
SINCE THEY WERE FORMED SO THE
ONLY THINGS THAT THEY HAVE TO BE
FORMED OUT OF IS WHAT WAS IN
SPACE WHEN THEY FORMED.
THERE'S TWO IDEAS.
ONE IS THAT THEY FORMED DEEP OUT
IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
AND THERE WAS THIS WHOLE COSMIC
BILLIARD'S GAME AND THEY GOT
KICKED AND CAUGHT BY JUPITER.
MAYBE THEY FORMED WHERE JUPITER
IS NOW AND IT WILL BE SIMILAR TO
JUPITER'S OWN MOON.
IT'S JUST LEARNING WHERE THEY'RE
MADE FROM.
>> THE UNKNOWN.
ABBY ON FACEBOOK.
NASA HAS AN INCREDIBLE TRACK
RECORD OF STILL BEING
OPERATIONAL PAST THE PRIME
MISSION OF ARE THERE PLANS FOR
LUCY SHOULD BE THE CASE ONCE ALL
THE TARGET ASTEROIDS HAVE BEEN
STUDIED?
>> HERE'S THE AMAZING THING.
IT'S PART LAW AND PART ACCIDENT
BUT WILL BE IN STABLE ORBIT FOR
MILLIONS OF YEARS.
SO DEPENDS ON THE SYSTEMS.
AS YOU MENTIONED A LOT OF THE
MISSIONS GET EXTENDED.
SO WE'LL EVALUATE, DO WE HAVE
ENOUGH FUEL ON BOARD AND ARE
THEIR INSTRUMENTS WORKING.
THIS IS A LONG JOURNEY.
WE'LL BE OPERATING LUCY FOR 12
YEARS, SO WE'LL SEE AT THAT TIME
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE
SCIENCE THAT WE GET BACK.
>> I THINK YOU MENTIONED EARLIER
MIGHT JUST BE COOL FOR SOMEBODY
YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS FROM
NOW TO FIND IT.
LIKE SOMETHING HA JUST IS
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE EARLY
SPACE EXPLORATION WE'RE DOING
NOW.
WHY DOES THE LUCY MISSION TAKE
SO LONG?
>> SOLAR SYSTEM SCIENCE TAKES A
LONG TIME.
IT TOOK 9 YEARS FOR NEW HORIZONS
TO GET TO PLUTO.
SO 6 YEARS ACTUALLY ISN'T TOO
BAD.
BUT WE JUST -- THINGS ARE A LONG
WAY AWAY AND TAKES TIME TO GET
TO THEM.
OBVIOUSLY THE QUICKER YOU GO THE
QUICKER YOU GET THERE THEN THE
FASTER YOUR FLYBYS ARE.
SO THERE'S A TRADE.
BUT HOW SLOW YOU WANT TO GO.
SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A
TRADE SPACE THERE TOO.
>> PHILLIP WANTS TO KNOW WHAT
TIME IS LIFTOFF AND I WANT TO
TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TALK
ABOUT WHAT IF THERE'S A SCRUB
STORM.
WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES TO
LAUNCH?
>> WE'LL BE LAUNCHING AT 5:34
EASTERN TIME.
THE WINDOW IS ABOUT AN HOUR LONG
BUT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR
THE NEXT 23 DAYS STARTING
TOMORROW AND TO LAUNCH.
THE IMPORTANCE IS THE ENERGY OF
THE ROCKET TO GET US INTO THAT
AWESOME TRAJECTORY.
SO HOPEFULLY THE WEATHER IS
SUPER AWESOME TOMORROW.
WE'RE READY TO SEE IT GO.
THE ROCKET IS DOING GREAT.
SPACECRAFT IS DOING AMAZING.
WE HAVE 23 DAYS TO LAUNCH LUCY
THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
IF THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN WE HAVE
AN OPPORTUNITY ABOUT A YEAR FROM
NOW.
>> SO THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES
BUT KEEPING MY FINGERS CROSSED
FOR TOMORROW.
EVERYBODY IS.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> ISAIAH, HOW DO YOU GET THE
GASOLINE TO STAY PRESERVED ON
THE LONG JOURNEY?
>> WE HAVE QUITE A BIT OF FUEL
ON BOARD.
IT'S ABOUT HALF OF THE MASS OF
THE SPACECRAFT AND WE NEED THAT
FUEL TO TARGET THE EARTH AND
TARGET THE TRAJECTORY AS WE'RE
GOING OUT THERE.
BECAUSE FUEL IS LIQUID AND
ALMOST LIKE LITTLE BIT LIKE
WATER SO WE HAVE TO KEEP IT
ABOVE FREEZING ALL THE TIME.
SO WE MAINTAIN WITH ELECTRIC
HEATERS AND INSTALLATION AND
MAINTAIN COOL SO WE GET A LITTLE
BIT CLOSE TO THE SUN, SO THE
SPACECRAFT IS DESIGNED TO MANAGE
IT ALL.
>> YOU FIGURED ALL OF THAT IN 14
MONTHS DURING A PANDEMIC?
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME
RIGHT NOW THAT.
THAT'S TERRIFIC.
THAT WAS A GREAT QUESTION.
I DIDN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT THAT.
>> YEAH, IT TOOK A LOT OF TEAM
EFFORT TO PULL THIS THING
TOGETHER IN 14 MONTHS AND IT WAS
A CHALLENGE.
WE HAD TO KEEP THE TEAM FAITH.
IT'S AMAZING TEAM, AMAZING TEAM
EFFORT AND I'M HONORED TO BE
PART OF IT.
>> HIGH-5.
CALEB, IS THERE ANY FORM OF
GEOLOGICAL ACTIVITY ON
ASTEROIDS?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND
THE ANSWER IS, WE DON'T REALLY
KNOW.
OF COURSE WE SAW BENU UP CLOSE
AND IT LOOKED LIKE THERE WAS
SOME THINGS FLYING OFF IT BUT WE
THINK THAT MIGHT BE METEORITES
COMING IN BUT A RESPONSE TO
BEING BOMBARDED.
BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS
WE'LL BE LOOKING FOR AND WE HAVE
A WORKING GROUP DEDICATED TO
LOOKING FOR ACTIVITIES ON THESE.
SO WE DON'T THINK SO, BUT IF
THERE IS ICE ON THERE MAYBE THAT
IS SLOWLY BEING LOST IN SPACE.
SO WE'LL FIND OUT.
WE'LL LET YOU KNOW IN 6 YEARS.
>> YES.
NOBODY ASKS ME WHAT I'M GOING TO
BE DOING IN 6 YEARS.
WHERE IS LUCY GOING ON ITS LONG
JOURNEY?
>> IT'S GOING TO LAUNCH FROM THE
EARTH AND WE DO GRAVITY ASSISTS
AND COMES BACK TO THE EARTH IN A
YEAR'S TIME AND 3 YEARS TIME AND
WE'LL BE GOING FASTER AND THEN
WE SPIN IT OUT TO JUPITER.
WE GO THROUGH THE MAIN BELT,
WHICH IS THE ASTEROIDS THAT WE
NORMALLY THINK OF, SO THE
ASTEROIDS BETWEEN MARS AND
JUPITER AND WE SEE AN ASTEROID
THERE THAT GIVES US A LITTLE BIT
OF SORT OF A TEST FOR ALL OF OUR
INSTRUMENTS.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE IMAGES AND
JUST KIND OF GET OUR SEQUENCING
DOWN AND THEN WE'LL MOVE IN
ABOUT 6 YEARS.
>> IS THAT WHERE WE ARE
APPROACHING NOW.
>> WE'LL BE GOING PAST OUR FIRST
SET OF TARGETS AND THEN LOOP
BACK TOWARDS THE EARTH AND THEN
ANOTHER GRAVITY ASSIST.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO SPEND THAT TIME
DOWN LINKING THE DATA.
IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO DOWNLOAD
IT BUT THE CLOSER YOU ARE TO
EARTH THE HIGHER YOUR TELEMETRY
RATES ARE AND THEN WE'LL USE
THAT TO SWING INTO THE L-5 SWAN
AND DO OUR FINAL SET OF FLYBYS.
TWO EQUALLY SIZED OBJECTS THAT
ARE CIRCLING AND THOSE WILL BE
THE LAST TARGETS ON THE MISSION.
BUT WILL SAID, FINGER'S CROSSED.
WE'LL BE DOING THIS FOR A WHILE
YET.
>> IT'S SUCH A COMPLEX
TRAJECTORY AND THAT VIDEO SIMPLY
IDENTIFIES IT.
WHEN DOES LUCY MEET UP WITH THE
FIRST ASTEROID ON ITS MISSION?
WE TOUCHED ON THAT.
BUT TELL US MORE ON THAT.
>> AS KARLY MENTIONED WE HAVE
THAT PRACTICE AND WE WANT TO
TEST OUT ALL OUR INSTRUMENTS IN
2025 IN OUR MAIN BELT ASTEROID.
THE FIRST ENCOUNTER IS 2027 AND
FROM THERE WE FOLLOW UP WITH THE
NEXT ASTEROID IN THAT FIRST L4
SWARM AND THEN THE LAST ONE IS
MARCH 3RD, 2033.
>> WHAT IS THE POSSIBILITY OF
LUCY FINDING NEW ASTEROIDS THAT
OUR TELESCOPES HAVE NOT SEEN?
>> GREAT QUESTION.
ONE OF THE THINGS -- ALTHOUGH
TELESCOPES ON SPACECRAFT --
WE'LL BE DOING SCANS OF THE SKY
JUST LOOK FOR THAT, LOOK FOR
HAZARDS AND LOOK TO SEE IF THERE
IS ANYTHING WE CAN'T SEE RIGHT
NOW.
SO THERE'S REALLY GOOD CHANCE
WE'LL FIND MORE.
EVERY MISSION THAT'S GONE TO ANY
SYSTEM HAS DISCOVERED NEW THINGS
AND I EXPECT LUCY TO BE THE
SAME.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
PURE SPARTAN 157 ON YOUTUBE,
DOES THE ATLAS 5 USE A KICK
STAGE TO GET LUCY INTO AN
INTERPLANETARY ORBIT.
IF NOT WHAT IS THE PROPULSION
SYSTEM THAT IS BEING USED FOR
THE LUCY MISSION?
>> THE LUCY SPACECRAFT HAS QUITE
A BIT OF FUEL ON BOARD, CHEMICAL
SYSTEM, HYDRAZINE.
IT HAS A NEED TO GET US TO THAT
HIGH SPEED TO GET US ON OUR WAY.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE USING THE
GRAVITY ASSIST.
WE NEED THAT BOOST FROM THE
EARTH.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH ENERGY
ON THE LAUNCH VEHICLE TO GET US
THAT FAR.
WE'LL BE DOING THOSE TWO GRAVITY
ASSISTS AND THAT WILL GET US ON
OUR WAY AND ENERGIZE THE ORBIT
ALL THE WAY TO THE TROJAN.
>> IS LUCY GOING TO BRING BACK
SAMPLES?
>> NO.
IT WON'T.
THIS IS PURELY REMOTE.
FLYING BY AND TAKING IMAGES BUT
NOT STOPPING.
WE'LL BE DOING 8 TARGETS AS WE
DISCUSSED AND YOU CAN'T STOP
START AND CARRY ON.
IT'S VERY HARD TO DO IN SPACE.
SO WE'LL BE FLYING BY DOING AS
MUCH SCIENCE AS CAN AND THEN ON
TO THE NEXT.
>> IS THERE ANY SPECIFIC ORGANIC
COMPOUNDS THAT NASA WILL LOOK
FOR ON THE ASTEROIDS,
SPECIFICALLY ANYTHING ASSOCIATED
WITH THE ORIGINS OF LIFE MAYBE?
>> SO, THERE'S AN INSTRUMENT
CALLED LISA THAT ENABLES US TO
LOOK AT THE CHEMICAL SIGNATURES,
FOOTPRINTS OF DIFFERENT SPECIES
AND SO IT'S BEEN TUNED TO BE
SENSITIVE TO THE CARBON BAND.
SO WE WILL BE ABLE TO TELL
DIFFERENT TYPES OF COMPOUNDS ON
THE SURFACE.
WE THINK THERE MIGHT BE STUFF
LIKE AMMONIA AND OTHER ORGANIC
ICES.
WE DON'T REALLY KNOW.
THEY'RE VERY HARD TO LOOK AT
FROM THE EARTH BECAUSE THEY'RE
DARK AND A LONG AWAY AND TO LOOK
THROUGH THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE
YOU GOT TO'S ALL THE WATER OUT.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE A HIGH
SPATIAL RESOLUTIONS WHEN THE ICE
IS AND MINERALS AND ROCKS ARE
MADE OF.
WE'LL KNOW A LOT MORE WHEN WE
GET THERE.
>> I JUST THINK IT'S FASCINATING
THAT LUCY WILL FIND A LOT OF
INFORMATION AND WE'RE NOT EVEN
LANDING ON ANY OF THESE
ASTEROIDS.
WE'RE JUST FLYING BY THEM AND
ALSO A VERY HIGH RATE OF SPEED,
OTHER IT?
>> YEAH.
>> 15,000 MILES PER HOUR ON
AVERAGE.
ABOUT 620 MILES ON AVERAGE FROM
THE ASTROIDS BUT EVERYTHING
HAPPENS SO FAST.
IT YOU LOOK AT THE 12 YEAR
MISSION, MOST OF THE
OBSERVATIONS AND SCIENCE HAPPEN
WITHIN 24 HOURS OUT OF 12 YEARS.
SO IT REALLY EXCITING.
WE'RE EXCITED TO GET THAT
INITIAL DATA BACK.
>> GREAT.
>> WE HAVE SOME PRACTICE.
A LOT OF THE TEAM THAT REVOLVED
AROUND NEW HORIZONS SO WE GREAT
PEOPLE ON THE TEAM WHO KNOW ON A
HIGH SPEED HOW TO TAKE THE
PERFECT PICTURE SO HE'LL BE
UTILIZING ALL THAT KNOWLEDGE TO
MAKE SURE LUCY RETURNS THE BEST
IT CAN.
>> THAT'S GREAT.
DAVID ON TWITTER.
ARE THERE CLUSTERS OF ASTROIDS
ON LA GRANGE POINTS ON JUPITER?
>> LA GRANGE POINTS ARE REGIONS
OF SPACE.
WHERE THE SUN AND JUPITER
GRAVITY CANCEL OUT.
EARTH HAS IT TOO.
THE TELESCOPE WILL BE LAUNCHED
LATER THIS YEAR AS A FOLLOW ON
FROM HUBBLE.
THAT'S WHY THE ASTEROIDS ARE SO
SPECIAL BECAUSE THE STABLE
REGION OF SPACE HAS ENABLED THEM
TO REMAIN THE WHOLE TIME THE
SOLAR SYSTEM HAS BEEN FORMING
AND EVOLVING AND THEY'VE BEEN
SITTING THERE AND WATCHING IT
ALL HAPPEN.
SO, THE EARTH ACTUALLY HAS TWO
TROJAN ASTEROIDS, RECENTLY
DISCOVERED.
WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE AS
STABLE AS THE OTHER ONES BUT
IT'S PRETTY UNCOMMON THING.
JUPITER IS SPECIAL TO HAVE SO
MANY.
>> I HAVE AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.
HOW ARE YOU GUYS FEELING?
THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS
COMING IN.
KEEP THEM COMING IN #ASKNASA.
ARE YOU DOING OKAY?
WATER?
ANYTHING?
>> WE'RE DOING GREAT.
THESE ARE GREAT QUESTIONS.
>> SO JONATHAN HAS ONE.
WILL LUCY USE A GRAVITY BOOST
FROM EARTH OR ONE OF THE OUTER
PLANETS TO BUILD UP THE SPEED
FOR THE LONG TRIP ON THE
ASTEROID?
HE KNOW ABOUT THE 3 FROM EARTH.
ARE WE DOING THAT WITH ANY OTHER
ASTEROID AS HE SAID?
>> NOPE.
JUST THE 3 GRAVITY SS.
WE DON'T GET CLOSE TO ANY OF THE
OTHER BIG TARGETS.
>> WHEN WE DO OUR FLYBYS THAT
WILL BE THE CLOSEST.
THEY'RE SO FAR OUT FROM JUPITER
BUT WE'RE USING THAT ENERGY TO
GET US THERE.
>> WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE
SPACECRAFT AFTER ITS MISSION?
WILL ITS ORBIT BE STABLE ENOUGH
FOR LUCY TO SURVIVE.
IS THERE ANY OTHER INSIGHT ABOUT
WHAT COULD HAPPEN AFTER THE
NOMINAL MISSION?
>> IT'S VERY INTERESTING.
THE ENGINEERS ANALYZE THE ORBIT
TO MAKE SURE IT WASN'T GOING TO
IMPACT OVER 100,000 YEARS BUT
IT'S GOING TO BE IN STABLE ORBIT
FOR MILLIONS OF YEARS SO THAT'S
THE EXCITING PART.
HOPEFULLY AS KARLY MENTIONED THE
SPACECRAFT KEEPS GOING AND WE
CAN DO MORE SCIENCE.
THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT.
IT'S ABOUT TO LEARN MORE AND
CALIBRATE OUR MODELS AND UNIQUE
ORBIT.
WE GOT LUCKY I THINK.
AMAZING.
>> HOW MUCH OF THE EXPERIENCE OF
MISSIONS LIKE OSIRIS-REX HAS
HELPED THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE
LUCY MISSION?
>> SO MUCH.
EVERY MISSION BUILDS ON WHAT
COMES BEFORE IT.
EVERY TIME A NEW MISSION COMES
ALONG, THERE'S TECHNOLOGY
DEVELOPMENT THAT GO WITH IT.
THE SOLAR PANEL THIS ISN'T THE
FIRST TIME WE HAVE THROWN SOLAR
PANELS SO WE LEARNED A LOT
FROM THE EXPERIENCE OF JUNEAU.
AND THESE ARE EVEN BETTER.
WE'RE STANDING ON THE SHOULDER
OF GIANTS JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER
NASA MISSION.
>> LUCY YES IS NAMED AFTER THE
LUCY FOSSIL BUT THE LUCY FOSSIL
WAS NAMED AFTER THAT BEATLE SONG
LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS.
SO THE QUESTION, ARE THERE
DIAMONDS ON LUCY?
>> YES, THERE ARE.
THE TEST INSTRUMENT, THAT
THERMOMETER TO GET THE
TEMPERATURE OF THE ASTROIDS
ACTUALLY HAS A BEAN SPLITTER
THAT GETS THAT LIGHT AND
ACTUALLY MADE OUT OF DIAMONDS.
SO THERE WILL BE DIAMONDS IN
SPACE.
>> ISN'T THAT GREAT.
I THINK IT JUST ALL FITS IN.
THE NAME IS AFTER THE LUCY
FOSSIL AND THERE'S A
SONG.
HOW FAR ARE THE ASTEROIDS?
>> THEY'RE FAR, KARLY, RIGHT?
>> THE SAME DISTANCE AS JUPITER.
JUPITER IS 5AU SO YOU THINK
ABOUT HOW FAR AWAY THE SUN IS,
THE ASTEROIDS ARE 5 TIMES
FURTHER FROM THE EARTH THAN WE
ARE.
SO REALLY LONG WAY AWAY FROM US.
THAT'S WHY IT TAKES A LONG TIME
TO GET THERE AND WHY IT'S HARD
TO DO SCIENCE FROM THE EARTH.
>> BRUCE ON TWITTER, ARE THERE
ANY CURRENTLY CLASSIFIED
METEORITES THAT YOU SUSPECT MAY
HAVE COME FROM THE ASTEROID LUCY
WILL BE VISITING SIMILAR TO THE
HOWARDITES AND LEO GENITES.
>> SOME ARE PART OF THE FAMILY.
WHAT THAT MEANS WE THINK IS THAT
THERE WAS A PARENT COMET THAT
GOT DISRUPTED AND FORMED SMALLER
FRAGMENTS AND THOSE CAN COME OUT
AND HIT THE EARTH.
I'M NOT SURE IF THEY'RE ON THE
GROUND EXAMPLES OF THOSE
METEORITE COLLECTIONS.
THAT WOULD BE GOOD TO KNOW.
I SHOULD KNOW THAT.
>> WILL HUMANS VISIT TROJAN
ASTEROIDS IN THE FUTURE?
>> WOW.
THAT'S A CHALLENGE, RIGHT?
IT'S REALLY FAR OUT THERE FOR
HUMANS TO GET THERE.
YOU HAVE TO CARRY A LOT OF
WATER.
NASA'S WORKING ON MISSIONS RIGHT
NOW TO GO TO THE MOON AND GO TO
DEEP SPACE LIKE ORION.
THE WHOLE ARTEMIS PROGRAM WILL
SEND THE FIRST WOMAN TO THE
SURFACE OF THE MOON AND NEXT
MAN.
SO WE'LL TRY AT THE MOON AND USE
THAT AS STEPPING STONE TO KEEP
GOING FURTHER.
MARS AND HOPEFULLY BEYOND.
>> ONE STEP AT A TIME BUT I
THINK WE'LL GET THERE.
I THINK.
WHAT SCIENCE INSTRUMENTS ARE ON
LUCY AND WHAT DO THEY DO?
>> WE HAVE 3 MAIN ONES.
ONE IS ACTUALLY A 2 FOR 1 DEAL.
WE HAVE ONE WHICH IS MADE UP OF
THE INSTRUMENT I'VE BEEN WORKING
WITH THE MOST AND LISA.
THAT'S THE COLOR CAMERA AND LISA
ENABLED US TO GET OUR
FINGERPRINTS SO THAT'S A REALLY
IMPORTANT INSTRUMENT.
AND I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THAT
AND THEN THERE'S THE THERMAL
INSTRUMENT AND WE'VE TOUCHED ON
IT A LITTLE BIT AND LOOKING AT
THE HEAT AND TEMPERATURE AND
FINALLY LAURIE.
IT'S OUR DEEP SPACE IMAGEER AND
A CAMERA WITH BINOCULARS BEHIND
IT.
WE CAN SEE VERY WELL AND VERY
HIGH SPATIAL RESOLUTIONS SO
WE'LL BE USING THOSE INSTRUMENTS
TO UNDERSTAND THE TARGETS.
GREAT PAYLOAD.
>> WHY ARE THEY NAMED THE TROJAN
ASTEROIDS?
>> SO, I HAD TO LOOK THIS UP
BECAUSE I THOUGHT THIS MIGHT
COME UP AND I'M GLAD I DID.
EVERYTHING IN SPACE HAS A
METHODOLOGY BEHIND IT.
AND IT HAPPENS THAT THESE
REGIONS OF THESE ASTEROIDS WERE
ALL NAMED AFTER CHARACTERS IN
THE TROJAN WARS.
FROM THAT GREEK MYTHOLOGY.
SO WE CALLED THEM THE TROJANS
BECAUSE THEY'RE NAMED AFTER
CHARACTERS FROM THE TROJAN WARS.
>> I ALSO LOOKED THAT UP AND YOU
ARE RIGHT.
I ALSO LOOKED UP HOW DID LUCY
THE HOMONYM DIE.
DID YOU KNOW THAT?
>> NO.
>> THEY THINK SHE MIGHT HAVE
FALLEN FROM A TREE.
THIS IS THE NAMESAKE OF THE LUCY
MISSION.
THE LUCY FOSSIL SUPPOSEDLY
THAT'S HOW SHE PASSED.
JUST THE FACT THAT THIS MISSION
MAKES YOU THINK AND MAKES YOU
WANT TO LEARN MORE I THINK IS
AMAZING.
>> AND THEN DON ON TWITTER.
ARE THERE ANY POTENTIAL
AVAILABLE RESOURCE IN THE
ASTEROIDS?
>> POTENTIALLY WE'RE ACTUALLY
BRINGING THE FIRST NASA SAMPLE
BACK AS WE SPEAK 2023 THAT WAS
THE PRIME GOAL IS TO COLLECT A
SAMPLE AND BRING IT BACK.
WE'LL HAVE TO SEE.
I MEAN, YOU HEARD KARLY.
WE'RE SO EXCITED ABOUT THE
UNKNOWN.
WHAT ARE WE ACTUALLY GOING TO
SEE IN THESE ASTROIDS AND WHAT
ARE THE INGREDIENTS AND ORGANIC
COMPOUND.
POTENTIALLY FOR EXAMPLE KARLY
TALKED ABOUT THE MISSION, IT'S
MORE METALLIC.
SO POTENTIALLY THERE AN INDUSTRY
FOR MINING AND RESOURCES FOR OUR
SPECIAL METALS AND RARE METALS.
WE'LL LEARN SO MUCH ON THIS
MISSION OVER THE 12 YEARS.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
NOW THIS IS ACTUALLY THE FINAL
QUESTION IT'S FROM ME.
SORRY.
BUT I WANT TO KNOW, OBVIOUSLY
BOTH OF YOU ARE VERY PERSONALLY
INVESTED IN THIS AND SPENT SO
MUCH OF YOUR CAREERS LEADING UP
TO THIS POINT.
WHAT ARE YOU PERSONALLY MOST
EXCITED ABOUT?
>> I THINK THE UNKNOWN.
BEING ABLE TO EXPLORE IS SUCH A
PRIVILEGE AND THE UNKNOWNS ARE
ALWAYS THE THINGS THAT GET YOU.
YOU PLAN AND YOU THOUGHT ABOUT
IT AND YOU THINK YOU GOT AN IDEA
HOW EVERYTHING WILL LOOK AND BE
AND NATURE DOESN'T DO THAT.
IT SURPRISES US.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING
SURPRISED.
>> WHAT ABOUT YOU?
>> GEEZ, I WORKED ON THE JUNEAU
MISSION THAT USED SOLAR POWER
AND WE'LL BREAK THAT RECORD SO
IT'S EXCITING TO BE PART OF THIS
AND WE'RE GOING TO BRAND NEW
WORLD THAT NO OTHER SPACECRAFT
HAS EVER BEEN SO IT'S GOING TO
BE FULL OF SURPRISES BUT WE'RE
READY FOR THE CHALLENGE AND VERY
PREPARED AND WE'LL PRACTICE SO
WE'RE PLANNING THIS MISSION FOR
THAT 12 YEARS AND HOPEFULLY WE
GET A LITTLE BIT MORE.
>> I'M EXCITED FOR YOU GUYS AND
I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR ALL THE
THINGS THAT YOU DISCOVER AFTER
THE LAUNCH TOMORROW.
SO WONDERFUL.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE
TODAY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> GREAT, GREAT, GREAT.
AND YOU KNOW JUST THANK YOU TO
ALL THE VIEWERS AT HOME WHO
TUNED IN AND SPENDING SUCH
THOUGHTFUL QUESTIONS FOR WILL
AND KARLY.
GO TO NASA.GOV/LUCY FOR MORE
INFORMATION.
AND YOU CAN ALSO FOLLOW LUCY'S
12 YEAR MISSION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
YOU CAN FOLLOW NASA SOLAR SYSTEM
ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND
INSTAGRAM.
ANOTHER OPTION IS ALSO
#LUCYMISSION.
THAT'S AN EASY ONE AND THEN I
WANT TO TAKE OUT YOUR PHONE AND
SET YOUR ALARM CLOCKS FOR THE
LAUNCH TOMORROW.
IT'S SET TO LIFT OFF FROM CAPE
CANAVERAL NO EARLY THAN
4:34 A.M. EASTERN TIME TOMORROW,
OCTOBER 16TH.
BE SURE TO JOIN IN WITH OTHERS
BY REGISTERING BY VIRTUAL
SOCIAL.
YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THE
SPACECRAFT AND YOU CAN EVEN
LEARN HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN
LUCY TIME CAPSULE.
THAT'S COOL.
AS ALWAYS THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
TUNING IN AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT
TIME.