HELLO, AND WELCOME TO NASA'S
JOHN F. KENNEDY SPACE CENTER
ON A BEAUTIFUL WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON.
WELCOME TO OUR PRELAUNCH NEWS
CONFERENCE AS WE LEAD UP TO
THE SATURDAY LAUNCH OF LUCY.
THE FIRST MISSION TO THE
TROJAN ASTEROIDS.
I'M TAMMY LONG OF NASA
COMMUNICATIONS.
OUR MAGIC MISSION NUMBERS ARE
12, 8 AND 1.
A 12 YEAR MISSION TO SURVEY 8
ASTEROIDS BY THE ONE AND ONLY
LUCY AND WE HAVE FABLOUS PANEL
HERE TODAY TO WALK US THROUGH
WHAT THE NUMBERS MEAN AND SO
MUCH MORE.
OUR EXPERTS INCLUDE THOMAS
ZERBUKIN ASSOCIATE
ADMINISTRATOR FOR NASA'S
SCIENCE DIRECTORATE.
HAL LEVINSOHN, LUCY PRINCIPAL
INVESTIGATOR, SOUTHWEST
RESEARCH INSTITUTE.
DAWNIA DOUGLAS BRADSHAW,
LUCY'S PROJECT MANAGER.
OMAR BAEZ, LUCY LAUNCH
DIRECTOR, NASA'S LAUNCH
SERVICES PROGRAM AT KENNEDY
SPACE CENTER.
JOHN ELVIN, CHIEF OPERATING
OFFICER, UNITED LAUNCH
ALLIANCE, AND JESSICA
WILLIAMS, LAUNCH WEATHER
OFFICER, 45th WEATHER
SQUADRON, SPACE LAUNCH DELTA
45, CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE
STATION.
SO THANK YOU TO THE MEDIA FOR
JOINING US TODAY.
WE'RE GOING TO START OFF WITH
BRIEF REMARKS FROM OUR
PANELISTS TO FRAME UP THE LUCY
MISSION, AND WE'LL BEGIN WITH
THOMAS.
THOMAS, TELL US WHAT LUCY
MEANS TO NASA.
>> WHAT AN AMAZING DAY TODAY
IN FLORIDA, AND I WAS SEEING
THE ROCKET UPCLOSE EARLIER
TODAY AND ON TOP OF IT, THAT
SPACECRAFT READY TO GO ON ITS
LONG JOURNEY.
AT THE HEAR THE OF LUCY IS THE
SCIENCE AND HOW IT'S GOING TO
TALK TO US ABOUT THE TROJANS.
FOR ME, THE MILLIONS OF PIECES
OUT THERE THAT WE HAVEN'T
OBSERVED EVER, AND IT'S SO
IMPORTANT TO GO OBSERVE THEM
BECAUSE LIKE SO MANY OF THESE
SMALL WORLDS, THE ASTEROIDS
THAT TELL US ABOUT A CHAPTER
OF OUR OWN STORY, OUR OWN
HISTORY, IN THIS CASE, THE
HISTORY PERHAPS 4 BILLION
YEARS AGO OR SO, WHEN THE
OUTER PLANETS WERE FORMING IN
THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
WHEN I THINK ABOUT THAT
SPACECRAFT, I ALSO THINK OF
THE AMAZING ORBIT.
I WANT TO TELL YOU WHEN I
FIRST SAW THE ORBIT, I LOOKED
AT THIS LIKE YOU GOT TO BE
KIDDING ME.
THIS IS POSSIBLE?
YOU KNOW LIKE THREE EARTH
FLY-BYES, SEEING THE SEVEN
TROJANS AND ADDITIONAL MAIN
BELT ASTEROID ON TOP.
IT SEEMS ABSOLUTELY CRAZY AND,
OF COURSE, THE SPACECRAFT WITH
THE INSTRUMENTS THAT HAVE THE
TREMENDOUS HERITAGE WITH NEW
HORIZONS BUT MANY OF THE
SPACECRAFT IMPROVED OVER AND
ABOVE THE SPACECRAFT FROM
LOCKHEED MARTIN, AND I SAW THE
WORDS "LUCY STRONG."
DAWNIA, YOU WILL TALK ABOUT
IT, THE PRIDE THAT YOU HAVE OF
THIS AMAZING TEAM DOING THIS
WORK, AND FOR ME, WATCHING
FROM HEADQUARTERS, THERE WERE
TIMES I REALLY WANTED TO BE
PART OF THAT TEAM DIRECTLY.
YOU ASKED ME ABOUT HOW IT FITS
IN WITH THE OTHER WORK WE DO?
AND I WANT TO TELL YOU, THIS
IS THE DAY WE NEED TO TALK
ABOUT JWSC, A SPACECRAFT IN
THE PROCESSING FACILITY SOUTH
OF US IN SOUTH AMERICA,
GETTING READY FOR A LATE
DECEMBER, MID-DECEMBER LAUNCH,
IN FACT, AND LOOKING AT IT
AGAIN, OUR HISTORY IN THIS
CASE, 200 TO 300 MILLION YEARS
AFTER THE BIG BANG WHEN THE
FIRST GALAXIES WERE FIRMED.
AT THE WEST COAST, WE HAVE
ANOTHER SPACECRAFT THAT IS
DARK, GETTING READY TO BE
LAUNCHED MID TO LATE NOVEMBER.
DEALING WITH THE POTENTIAL
THREATS BUT ALSO ANOTHER
SPACECRAFT ON THE WAY BACK TO
EARTH, DROPPING OFF ITS
IMPORTANT SAMPLES THAT IT TOOK
LAST YEAR, OSIRIS-REx, OF
COURSE, FROM BANU NEAR EARTH.
EACH ONE OF THE ASTEROIDS,
EACH ONE OF THE PRISTINE
SAMPLES PROVIDE A PART OF THE
STORY OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM, THE
STORY OF US.
HAL, TELL US MORE.
>> SURE, SO LUCY IS A MISSION
TO THE TROJAN ASTEROIDS, CAN I
HAVE THE FIRST GRAPHIC,
PLEASE?
TROJAN ASTEROIDS LEAD OR
FOLLOW JUPITER IN ITS ORBIT
ARE ABOUT 60 DEGREES.
THEY'RE HELD THERE BY THE
GRAVITATIONAL EFFECT OF
JUPITER AND THE SUN.
IF YOU PUT AN OBJECT THERE
EARLY IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM
HISTORY, IT'S BEEN STABLE
FOREVER.
SO THESE THINGS REALLY ARE THE
FOSSILS OF WHAT PLANETS FORM
FROM.
WE UNDERSTAND PLANETS FORMED,
GROOMED AND COMPETED AND THESE
ARE THE LEFTOVERS OF THAT.
IF YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND
WHERE THE SOLAR SYSTEM CAME,
FROM YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE
SMALL BODIES.
ONE OF THE REALLY SURPRISING
THINGS ABOUT THE TROJANS WHEN
WE STARTED TO STUDY THEM FROM
THE GROUND IS HOW DIFFERENT
THEY ARE FROM ONE ANOTHER,
PARTICULARLY WITH COLORS.
SOME ARE GRAY, SOME ARE RED.
THAT CLEARLY IS TELLING US
SOMETHING FUNDAMENTAL ABOUT
THE HISTORY OF THE SOLAR
SYSTEM.
WE THINK THE COLOR INDICATES
THE FORMATION LOCATIONS AND
THESE THINGS WERE MIXED
TOGETHER, DURING THE LAST GAPS
OF PLANET FORMATION.
IF YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT
THE PLANET IS TELLING US ABOUT
HOW THE PLANETS ARE FORMED,
YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE
DIVERSITY AND THAT'S WHAT LUCY
IS INTENDED TO DO.
AS WE DO THIS AMAZING
TRAJECTORY THAT WAS PART
SCIENCE, PART ART AND PART
LUCK, THAT ALLOWS US TO GO TO
THESE REALLY INTERESTING
TARGETS.
IF WE COULD HAVE THE NEXT
GRAPHIC, PLEASE.
WE LAUNCH INTO A ONE-YEAR
ORBIT AND USE A SERIES OF
EARTH GRAVITIES, FLY BY THE
EARTH, CHANGING THE ORBIT OF
THE SPACECRAFT.
WE GET THROWN OUT INTO THE
LEADING TROJAN SWARMS AND HAVE
FOUR ENCOUNTERS WITH THE
TROJAN ASTEROIDS.
THEN LUCY FALLS BACK INTO THE
UNDERPART OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM,
UNDERGOES ANOTHER EARTH
GRAVITY SYSTEM, WHICH ALLOWS
US TO JOIN OUR FINAL TROJAN IN
2023, 3/3/23, REMEMBER THAT
DATE.
>> DANIA, AS THE PROJECT
MANAGER FOR GODDARD, WHAT DOES
THIS MEAN TO YOU AND YOUR
TEAM?
>> AS THOMAS SAID, ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT THE TEAM RESONATED
WITH AS WE STARTED BUILDING
THE SPACECRAFT ABOUT 14 MONTHS
AGO IS THE WHOLE SENTIMENT OF
LUCY STRONG.
THIS TEAM HAS PUT IN SO MUCH
WORK TO BUILD A SPACECRAFT
THAT IS TRULY A WORK OF ART.
YOU LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THIS
SPACECRAFT, WITH THE TWO
MOUNTED SOLAR ARRAYS, WEIGHS
ABOUT 3300 POUNDS, ABOUT THE
SIZE OF A STANDARD VEHICLE,
BUT YOU DEPLOY THOSE AMAZING
SOLAR ARRAYS, CUTTING EDGE
SOLAR ARRAY, AND ON END THE
SPACECRAFT SPANS ABOUT FOUR
STORIES.
IT TOOK A TEAM OF MORE THAN
500 ENGINEERS, SCIENTISTS,
BUSINESS FOLKS TO
CONCEPTUALIZE AND BUILD THE
SPACECRAFT THAT'S GOING TO
ACHIEVE THIS AMAZING SCIENCE.
YOU CAN BRING UP MY FIRST
GRAPHIC, PLEASE?
SO LUCY ARRIVED HERE ON A C-17
ON JULY 30, AND WITHIN 2 1/2
MONTHS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO
OUR FINAL HARDWARE INTEGRATION
AND CHECK OUT THE SPACECRAFT.
THIS TEAM HAS WORKED SO HARD.
THEIR FAMILIES HAVE SACRIFICED
SO THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN THIS
MISSION AND ACHIEVE HAL'S
VISION, AND BRING BACK THIS
AMAZING SCIENCE.
I COULDN'T SPEAK MORE HIGHLY
OF THIS TEAM.
IT'S BEEN AN HONOR BEING THEIR
PROJECT MANAGER.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO THE SPACECRAFT, THE WORK IS
COMPLETE, IT'S BEEN POWERED
ON, THE TEAM IS MONITORING IT
AND WE ARE READY TO LAUNCH.
>> THANK YOU, DANIA.
OMAR, OUR LUCY LAUNCH
DIRECTOR, WE SAW A BEAUTIFUL
SHOT OF THE ROCKET AND LUCY
LOADED.
LST HAS HAD AN AMAZING BANNER
YEAR AND HERE WE ARE WITH
ANOTHER EXTRAORDINARY MISSION
ON SATURDAY.
HOW IS YOUR TEAM PREPARED AND
HOW ARE YOU FEELING?
>> TAMMY, THE LAUNCH SERVICES
PROGRAM IS ABSOLUTELY EXCITED
ABOUT SATURDAY, BUT LET ME
TELL YOU, LET ME ROLL BACK
ABOUT SIX MONTHS, WE WERE
LOOKING AT OUR MANIFEST AND
KNEW OUR SISTER PROGRAM IN THE
COMMERCIAL CREW PROGRAM, WAS
HAVING SOME ISSUES AND MAKING
THEIR LAUNCH DATE IN APRIL,
AND THEY WERE LOOKING TO
ADJUST THE DATE TO SOMEWHERE
ELSE.
AND WE HAD TO WORK WITH OUR
PARTNERS AT THE UNITED SPACE
FORCE, AND OUR PARTNERS WITH
NOAA AND MOVE A COUPLE OF OUR
MISSIONS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN
FOR THEM IN JULY ALONG WITH
JOHN'S FOLKS HERE WHO MADE
THIS HAPPEN.
TREMENDOUS TEAMWORK.
PARAMOUNT TO EVERYTHING WAS
TRYING TO GET OFT A LAUNCH
ATTEMPT AND KEEP LUCY'S WINDOW
IN ATTACK.
HERE WE ARE THE WEDNESDAY
BEFORE THE OPENING OF THE
WINDOW AND I SAY WE'RE READY.
I WANT TO THANK THE ULA FOLKS,
THE UNITED SPACE FORCE FOLKS
BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN A LOT
OF SACRIFICES TO MAKE THIS
HAPPEN.
TWO LAUNCH SLOTS HAVE BEEN
LOST BECAUSE OF THE SHIFTING
OF OFT AND THEN EVENTUAL
DESTACK, AND WE WERE ABLE TO
MAKE THAT A POSITIVE IN THAT
WE WERE ABLE TO USE THE OFT
BOOSTER AND CONVERT IT FOR USE
FOR LUCY.
ALL THE WHILE, WORKING ON LAND
SET ON THE WEST COAST.
ON A PAD THAT HADN'T BEEN USED
IN 3 1/2 YEARS, AND WE WERE
ABLE TO GET THAT ONE OFF ON
ITS VERY FIRST ATTEMPT.
WE CAME BACK HERE FOUR DAYS
LATER AND DID DRESS REHEARSAL
ON LUCY, ALL THE WHILE FOLKS
IN THEIR SPARE TIME WERE DOING
PATHFINDER TANKING TESTS FOR
THE NEXT GENERATION VULCAN
LAUNCH VEHICLE, AND A
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK.
I CAN'T TELL YOU THE AMOUNT OF
WORK THAT WENT BEHIND THE
SCENES, NOT IN THE TYPICAL
LUCY FLOW, AND WITH THAT,
THERE'S A VIDEO I'D LIKE TO
SHOW OF THE LUCY PERTINENT
WORK.
AND THAT'S THE BOOSTER AS IT
WAS ERECTED FOR THE OFT
MISSION.
THEY WOULD HAVE PUT ON TWO
SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS ON THERE
AND THE TEAM HAD TO DE-ERECT
THOSE, STOW THE ORDINANCE
LINES AND MAKE MODIFICATIONS
TO GO FROM A CAPSULE-TYPE
LAUNCH TO THE OFT LAUNCH.
THIS IS THE CENTAUR AND THE
INTERSTATE STACK COMING INTO
THE BIF, THIS IS AROUND THE
MIDDLE OF SEPTEMBER.
THIS IS LUCY BEING
ENCAPSULATED OVER AT ASTRO
TECH INTO THE PAYLOAD FERRING.
IT WAS BROUGHT OUT FROM ASTRO
TECH TO THE VIF AND STACKED
LAST WEEK AFTER THE WET DRESS
REHEARSAL THEY SPOKE OF.
THEY DID DO THE INTEGRATED
SYSTEMS TEST ON THE CAPSULE,
NOT ON THE CAPSULE, ON THE
LUCY SPACECRAFT, AND THE ATLAS
CENTAUR VEHICLE, AND
EVERYTHING CHECKED OUT WELL.
WE DID OUR MISSION DRESS
REHEARSAL YESTERDAY, WHICH I
STRESSED DANIA TO THE MAX IN
YESTERDAY, BUT SHE'S WELL
TRAINED AND READY FOR SATURDAY
MORNING.
TOMORROW WE WILL GET ROLLOUT
THE ATLAS CENTAUR LUCY STACK
TO THE PAD, WE'LL TAKE A
PRECINCT PAYOUT FRIDAY AND
COME IN ABOUT MIDNIGHT, CLEAR
THE PAD AROUND 2:00 IN THE
MORNING AND START A CRYOGENIC
TANKING 3:00 IN THE MORNING
FOR A 5:34 TEASER.
WE HAVE ABOUT A 75--MINUTE
WINDOW, AND YOU'LL HEAR THE
REST, BUT WE LOOK FORWARD TO A
BEAUTIFUL LAUNCH SATURDAY.
AND WITH THAT, TAMMY, PASS IT
BACK TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU, OMAR.
JOHN, OMAR TEED YOU UP
PERFECTLY.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR UNITED
LAUNCH TEAM, THE SACRIFICES
YOU'VE MADE TO GET US HERE TO
BE ON SCHEDULE TO LAUNCH ON
SATURDAY AND WHAT IT MEANS TO
YOUR TEAM TO LAUNCH SUCH A
HISTORIC, AMAZING SCIENCE
MISSION.
>> ABSOLUTELY, THANKS, TAMMY,
AND THANKS, OMAR FOR THE
PARTNERSHIP.
OUR TEAMS WORK GREAT TOGETHER.
FIRST CONGRATULATIONS TO
THOMAS, DANIA TO GET TO THIS
POINT.
THERE'S A HECK OF A LOT OF
WORK THAT GOES INTO GETTING
THE PROGRAM SOLD, GETTING THE
SPACECRAFT BUILT AND GETTING
TO THE POINT WE'RE READY TO
LAUNCH, CONGRATULATIONS ON
THAT PIECE OF IT.
ULA IS INCREDIBLY EXCITED TO
BE A PART OF THIS, I CAN'T
TELL YOU HOW MUCH IT MEANS,
WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
PARTNER WITH NASA AND LAUNCH
SPACECRAFT TO EXPLORE ALL OF
THE PLANETS OF THE SOLAR
SYSTEM AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO
GET TO DO THAT TO THE
ASTEROIDS THAT HAL DESCRIBED
AND GETS THE TEAM EXCITED TO
BE A PART OF THIS.
IT'S A BIG DEAL.
INTERPLANETARY MISSIONS ARE
PARTICULARLY CHALLENGING
BECAUSE THE LAUNCH WINDOW IS
SHORT.
THE LAUNCH WINDOW FOR LUCY
OVERALL IS ONLY ABOUT THREE
WEEKS AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT
THAT WE HIT THE EARLY PARTS OF
THAT WINDOW.
WE'RE FOCUSED ON THE FIRST
DAY, AND WE GET IT ON ITS WAY.
I GIVE YOU GUYS MY WORD THAT
THE TEAM IS FOCUSED ON GETTING
THAT COMPLICATED ORBIT THAT
YOU SHOWED THERE, HAL, RIGHT
ON THE PRECISE TRAJECTORY IT
NEEDS TO BE ON TO BEGIN WITH.
LUCY WILL LAUNCH ON ATLAS 401,
THE MOST FLOWN VERSION OF
ATLAS.
OVERALL, IT WILL BE THE 81st
MISSION OF ATLAS, THE
HUNDREDTHS MISSION OFF OF
SPACE COMPLEX 41.
THERE'S A REAL HISTORY OF
HERITAGE AND SUCCESS THAT
WE'RE BUILDING ON.
I'VE GOT A VIDEO THAT SHOWS
THE MISSION TIME LINE, IF WE
CAN SHOW THAT NOW, IT WILL
GIVE A SENSE HOW LUCY GETS OFF
AND ON ITS WAY.
>> T-MINUS 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5,
4, 3, 2, WE HAVE IGNITION, AND
LIFTOFF OF THE UNITED LAUNCH
ALLIANCE ATLAS V ROCKET.
>> BEGINNING LUCY'S 12 YEAR
JOURNEY TO EIGHT DIFFERENT
ASTEROIDS, THE ATLAS V ENGINE
UNITES, GENERATING 650,000
POUNDS OR 3.8 MILLION NEWTONS
OF THRUST WITH A
CHARACTERISTIC ENERGY OR C3 OF
28.6 KILOMETERS SQUARED PER
SECONDS SQUARED.
SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF, ATLAS
OBTAINS A PITCHOVER WHILE
MINIMIZING THE DYNAMIC
PRESSURE, THE ATLAS V REACHES
MACH 1, THE SPEED OF SOUND, AT
1 MINUS 19 SECONDS.
THE ATLAS V WILL MORE THAN
QUADRUPLE ITS VELOCITY.
THE BOOSTER ENGINE SHUTS DOWN
AT 4 MINUTES 3 SECONDS HAVING
REACHED SPACE.
APPROACHING SEPARATION TO
BOOSTER STAGE, ATLAS'S BURNING
PROPELLANT AT 1,189 KILOGRAMS
PER SECOND, TRAVELING AT
11,400 MILES OR 18,400
KILOMETERS PER HOUR OR 108
KILOMETERS IN ALTITUDE AND 179
MILES OR 288 KILOMETERS
DOWNRANGE.
SIX SECONDS LATER, THE ATLAS
CENTAUR SEPARATION CENTER
ACTIVATES, THE VEHICLE WEIGHS
A LITTLE MORE THAN 8% OF WHAT
IT DID AT LIFTOFF.
TEN SECONDS LATER, THE FIRST
BURN OF THE CENTAUR MAIN
ENGINE BEGINS, THIS WILL LAST
NEARLY NINE MINUTES.
BURNING HYDROGEN AND LIQUID
OXYGEN, THE CENTAUR, DURING
ASCENT, LUCY IS PROTECTED
INSIDE A FOUR METER DIAMETER
PAYLOAD FERRY, THE PAYLOAD
FERRY IS JETTISONED.
JUST OVER 13 MINUTES INTO
FLIGHT, CUTOFF OF THE CENTAUR
MAIN ENGINE OR MIKO1 OCCURS,
THE MISSION ENTERS A VARIABLE
COAST PHASE, PROVIDING THE
REQUIRED THRUST FOR CENTAUR
AND LUCY TO ESCAPE EARTH
ORBIT, THE CENTAUR ENGINE IS
STARTED AT 4 MINUTES 39
SECONDS, ATLAS BEGINS VEERING
TRAJECTORY THROUGH RAND
STEERING.
ULA'S UNIQUE RIGHT ASENGSZ OF
THE ASCENDING NODE TECHNIQUE
COMPENSATES FOR THE EARTH'S
ROTATION.
THIS TRAJECTORY IS DEPENDENT
ON THE LIFTOFF TIME WITHIN THE
GIVEN WINDOW.
46 MINUTES, 40 SECONDS INTO
FLIGHT, FINAL CUTOFF OF THE
CENTAUR MAIN ENGINE OCCURS
COMPLETING THE FLIGHT.
CENTAUR AND LUCY WILL COAST
FOR NEARLY 11 1/2 MINUTES IN
PREPARATION FOR SPACECRAFT
SEPARATION.
AT 58 MINUTES, CENTAUR
RELEASES LUCY INTO A
HYPERBOLIC ORBIT, ON ITS WAY
TO BECOMING THE FIRST MISSION
TO STUDYING TROJAN ASTEROIDS
AND REVOLUTIONIZING OUR
KNOWLEDGE OF PLANETARY ORIGINS
AND FORMATION OF THE SOLAR
SYSTEM.
>> THAT'S WHAT WILL HAPPEN ON
SATURDAY MORNING, AND WE'RE
JUST INCREDIBLY EXCITED TO BE
A PART OF SENDING THIS
SPACECRAFT TO GO FIGURE OUT
HOW THE SOLAR SYSTEM AND
UNIVERSE BEGAN, THANK YOU,
TAMMY.
>> WE'LL FINISH UP WITH
JESSICA, NO PRESSURE, JESSICA,
BUT YOU HAVE THE WEATHER
REPORT FOR US, SO PLEASE GIVE
US SOME GOOD NEWS ABOUT WHAT'S
ON YOUR RADAR AND WHAT'S
DOWNRANGE, AND PLEASE TELL US
SATURDAY IS LOOKING FANTASTIC.
>> THANK YOU, TAMMY, IF WE
LOOK AT THE SATELLITE IMAGE,
WE CAN SEE A NICE AREA OVER
THE ENTIRE SOUTHEAST U.S.
THAT'S MAINLY CLOUD FREE AND
THAT'S DUE TO HIGH PRESSURE
DOMINATING THE AREA AND THE
AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL FLY
SOUTHWARD OVER CENTRAL FLORIDA
FOR SATURDAY MORNING, GIVING A
BEAUTIFUL MORNING FOR LAUNCH.
HOWEVER, BEHIND THAT, YOU CAN
SEE A SYSTEM OVER TEXAS,
EXTENDING OFF TO THE
NORTHEAST.
THAT WILL BE A SLOW-MOVING
COLD FRONT THAT MOVES THROUGH
ON THE BACK OF DAY SUNDAY
MORNING, AND THAT WILL
INCREASE OUR CHANCES OF
VIOLATING FOR OUR RANGE
WEATHER, LIGHTNING LAUNCH
COMMIT CRITERIA.
IF WE GO TO LAUNCH DAY
FORECAST, WE HAVE A 90% CHANCE
OF WEATHER BEING GO, JUST A
10% CHANCE OF VIOLATING FOR
THE CUMULUS CLOUD RULE, OUR
WINDS ARE LIGHT AND AVAILABLE
FROM THE WEST MAINLY SIX MILES
PER HOUR, IF EVEN THAT, AND
TEMPERATURE 74 TO 76 DEGREES
FAHRENHEIT.
IF WE GO TO 24-HOUR BACKUP,
THIS IS WHEN COLD WEATHER IS
MOVING THROUGH CENTRAL FLORIDA
BETWEEN 4:00 A.M. AND NOON AND
WILL BRING A BAND OF TALLER
CUMULUS CLOUDS AND SCATTERED
SHOWERS WITH THE VERY SLIGHT
POTENTIAL FOR AN ISOLATED
THUNDERSTORM, AND WITH THOSE
SHOWERS IN THE AREA, WE HAVE A
50% CHANCE OF VIOLATING FOR
THE CUMULUS CLOUD RULE, AND
BEHIND THAT FRONT, WE WILL
ALSO HAVE STRONGER WINDS FROM
THE NORTH PICKING UP TO ABOUT
18 MILES PER HOUR, COMING
CLOSE TO OUR LIFTOFF
CONSTRAINTS SO CONCERN IS FOR
THE GROUND WINDS.
WE HAVE A 50% CHANCE OF GO FOR
24-HOUR BACKUP DAY, SO IF WE
GO TO 48-HOUR BACKUP DAY,
WEATHER IMPROVES AS THE FRONT
SLIDES SOUTHWARD AND BEING SO
FAR OUT, WE HAVE A 40% OUT OF
VIOLATING FOR THE CUMULUS
CLOUD RULE WITH SHOWERS THAT
LINGER WITH WINDS TURNING
AROUND FROM THE NORTHEAST AND
MOVING ONSHORE, BEING
RELATIVELY STRONG.
YOU CAN SEE RAIN SHOWERS
MOVING ONSHORE POTENTIALLY
VIOLATING FOR THE CUMULUS
GROUND RULE, AND GROUND WINDS,
A LOWER CONCERN AT 60% CHANCE
OF GO FOR MONDAY MORNING.
AND BACK TO YOU, TAMMY.
>> THANK YOU, JESSICA.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR SETTING
UP A FRAMEWORK THAT IS GREAT
TO BEGIN WITH MEDIA QUESTIONS.
WE'LL FIRST START WITH MEGAN
BARTELS OF SPACE.COM, ARE YOU
THERE, MEGAN?
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES, MA'AM, PLEASE GO
AHEAD.
>> EXCELLENT, WONDERFUL.
I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS A
QUESTION FOR THE DOCTOR OR
SOMEONE ELSE ON THE PANEL, BUT
JUST WANTED TO GET A FINAL
MISSION COST FOR LUCY?
THANKS.
>> YOU PROBABLY KNOW THAT
NUMBER BY HEART, YOU WANT TO
TALK ABOUT IT?
>> SURE.
SO THE FINAL MISSION COST FOR
LUCY IS $981 MILLION.
>> ALL RIGHT.
NEXT UP IS CHRIS GEPHARDT FROM
NASA SPACEFLIGHT.
GO AHEAD, CHRIS.
>> YES, THANK YOU.
ONE QUESTION THEY HAD ALONG
THE SCIENCE SIDE OF THIS, WHEN
YOU ARE AT THE L-4 LOCATION
AND CRUISING BETWEEN THE
DIFFERENT ASTEROIDS FOR THAT
YEAR, ARE YOU PLANNING TO
LEAVE LUCY ON AND GATHER
PASSIVE SCIENCE FROM THAT
REGION?
ARE YOU PLANNING TO PUSH THE
VEHICLE INTO HIBERNATION MODE
BETWEEN THE CRUISES BETWEEN
THE L-4 ASTEROID?
THANK YOU.
>> I'LL TAKE THAT.
THE SPACECRAFT IS ACTUALLY
NEVER IN HIBERNATION MODE
THROUGH THE WHOLE MISSION.
SO IT WILL BE ON AND
COMMUNICATING WITH THE EARTH
THE ENTIRE TIME.
RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE ANY
CREWS PLANNED, BUT FOR THE L-4
SWARM, WE'RE GOING TO BE SO
BUSY COLLECTING DATA,
DOWNLOADING DATA, PLANNING THE
NEXT ENCOUNTER OR TWEEKING THE
NEXT ENCOUNTER, THEY'LL ALL BE
PLANNED BEFORE WE GET, THERE
BUT WE REALLY NOT HAVE TIME TO
DO PRE-SCIENCE IN THE L-4.
>> OUR NEXT QUESTION IS FROM
MICHAEL GRESHCOW OF "NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC."
GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
>> HI, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I THINK THIS QUESTION MIGHT BE
FOR OMAR AND JOHN, THE FIRST
STAGE OF THE ATLAS V ROCKET
THAT LUCY IS ON WAS INTENDED
FOR OFT WATCH.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE SPECIFICS
WHY THE FIRST STAGE OF THAT
ROCKET IS NOW BEING USED FOR
LUCY?
THANKS.
>> SURE, I CAN TAKE THAT,
OMAR.
YEAH, THE FIRST STAGE OF THE
ROCKET WAS ORIGINALLY SIGNED
TO OFT-2, AS YOU EXPLAINED,
MICHAEL.
AFTER THE DECISION WAS MADE TO
DESTACK OFT-2, WE LOOKED AT
THE MANIFEST AND DECIDED THAT
IT WOULD BE TO ADVANTAGE OF
THE LUCY MISSION AND TO THE
ADVANTAGE OF ULA'S MANIFEST TO
USE THE BOOSTER FOR LUCY.
WE TOOK THE TWO SOLID ROCKET
MOTORS THAT WERE ATTACHED,
REMOVED THOSE AND WE HAD TO
REPLACE ONE AVIONICS BOX IN
THE BOOSTER TO MAKE IT
COMPATIBLE FOR THE LUCY
MISSION, BUT THEN WHAT
RESULTED IS A BOOSTER THAT HAD
BEEN TANKED ONE TIME AND SO IT
HAD BEEN THROUGH A SHAKEDOWN,
AND YOU KNOW, THEN IT WENT
THROUGH THE WET DRESS
REHEARSAL, PART OF THE LUCY
FLOW AND TANKED A SECOND TIME
AND NOW IT'S SITTING THERE AS
PART OF THE LUCY STACK READY
FOR LAUNCH, SO MAKING THE
DECISION TO ASSIGN WHAT WAS
THE OFT BOOSTER TO LUCY, GAVE
US A BOOSTER THAT FRANKLY
REDUCED OUR RISK TO BE ABLE TO
MEET THE FIRST DAY OF THE
LAUNCH WINDOW AND GAVE US AN
OPPORTUNITY JUST TO REDUCE THE
OVERALL SCHEDULE RISK THAT WE
HAD IN THE FLOW.
SO WE MADE THAT DECISION
JOINTLY WITH NASA AND OVERALL,
IT ENDED UP IN A SITUATION
THAT WORKED OUT REALLY WELL.
>> THANK YOU, JOHN.
WE'RE NOW GOING TO PIVOT TO
SOME SOCIAL MEDIA QUESTIONS.
HAL, SINCE LUCY IS INTENDED TO
TAKE US BACK AND LOOK AT SOME
ASTEROIDS AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL
SEE BACK TO THE ORIGINS OF OUR
SOLAR SYSTEM, WE HAVE A
QUESTION ABOUT WHERE DID THIS
MISSION IDEA ORIGINATE?
WAS IT CROWDSOURCED AMONG
ENGINEERS?
HOW WAS THE IDEA CHOSEN AND
HOW DID LUCY GET HER NAME?
>> SO THE IDEA CAME ABOUT FROM
A GROUP OF SCIENTISTS SITTING
AROUND TRYING TO DECIDE WHAT
WOULD BE A GOOD THING FOR US
TO GO STUDY.
I'M ACTUALLY A THEORIST BY
TRAINING, SO I SPENT MY LIFE
DOING LARGE-SCALE NUMERICAL
SIMULATIONS OF PLANET
FORMATION, AND AS MY WORK
PROCEEDED, GOING AND STUDYING
THESE PARTICULAR OBJECTS
REALLY WILL BE INFORMATIVE TO
THE KIND OF QUESTIONS THAT
I'VE BEEN INTERESTED IN, SO
THAT'S BASICALLY HOW THE
MISSION CAME ABOUT.
THE NAME LUCY ACTUALLY COMES
FROM OR IN HONOR OF THE HUMAN
FOSSIL KNOWN AS LUCY.
OUR MISSION IS TO FIND OUT
BASICALLY HOW THE SOLAR SYSTEM
EVOLVED, AND SO GIVING CREDIT
TO THE FOSSIL SEEMED
APPROPRIATE TO US.
>> THANK YOU, HAL.
DANIA, ANOTHER QUESTION FOR
YOU.
HOW LONG DID IT TAKE TO BUILD
LUCY, AND WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST
PRODUCTION CHALLENGE?
>> GOOD QUESTION, THANK YOU
FOR THAT, TAMMY.
TOOK ABOUT 14 MONTHS TO
INTEGRATE THE SPACECRAFT AND
THE INSTRUMENTS AND VERIFY THE
PERFORMANCE OF THE SPACECRAFT
AND DEMONSTRATE THAT IT WOULD
SURVIVE IN THE SPACE
ENVIRONMENT OVER THE FULL 12
YEAR MISSION.
I THINK THE LARGEST CHALLENGE
IN DOING THAT CERTAINLY HAD TO
DO WITH THE PANDEMIC.
OBVIOUSLY, WHEN YOU'RE
BUILDING HARDWARE AND
INTEGRATING AND TESTING IT,
THERE'S A LOT OF HANDS-ON, AND
SO IT WAS PARTICULARLY
CHALLENGING TO TRY TO BUILD IT
AND MAINTAIN THE SAFETY THE
WORKFORCE, AND SO WE REALLY
HAD TO RE-ENGINEERED THE WAY
WE DID INTEGRATION AND TESTING
WHICH WE CALL ATLOW, SO THE
FOLKS ON LUCY ARE BRILLIANT,
AND THEY VERY RAPIDLY DEVISED
A WAY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT
AND DO IT CONFIDENTLY THAT WE
WOULD MAINTAIN SAFETY AND SO
WE WERE ABLE DO THAT AND
ACCORDING TO OUR ORIGINAL
SCHEDULE, WITH NO IMPACT DUE
TO COVID.
>> THANK YOU.
>> CAN I ADD SOMETHING ON
THAT?
>> OF COURSE, HAL, PLEASE.
>> I WANT TO COMMUNICATE THE
WONDERFUL JOB DANIA AND HER
TEAM DID.
THIS WAS A REAL CHALLENGE, NOT
ONLY TO GET THE SPACECRAFT
FINISHED IN TIME BUT MAKE SURE
PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO GET
SICK ALONG THE WAY, AND SO
THEIR WORK WAS PHENOMENAL AND
IT WAS REALLY A JOY JUST TO
WATCH THEM GO THROUGH THE
EFFORT TO TRY TO FIX AND GET
US HERE IN TIME, AND THEY DID.
>> WHAT KIND WORDS FOR YOU.
AND WE'RE GOING BACK TO THE
PHONE WITH KEN KRAMER OF SPACE
UPCLOSE.
GO AHEAD, KEN.
>> HI, THANK YOU FOR DOING
THIS, AND GOOD LUCK WITH THE
LAUNCH ON SATURDAY.
LOOK FORWARD TO BEING THERE.
MY QUESTION IS FOR OMAR AND
JOHN, PLEASE.
YOU'RE USING THE LEAST
POWERFUL VERSION OF THE ATLAS
V.
I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW WHY YOU'RE
NOT USING ANY SOLIDS SINCE
YOU'RE DOING AN EARTH GRAVITY
ASSIST, WHY WOULD THE
ADDITIONAL SOLIDS NOT HELP
YOU?
THANKS.
>> SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR
REALLY IS THE INITIAL DELTA V,
AND WE'RE ALSO SENSITIVE TO
THE ENVIRONMENT WE PUT ONTO
THE LUCY SPACECRAFT, SO YOU
START ADDING SOLIDS TO IT, YOU
MIGHT GAIN SOME VELOCITY, BUT
YOU'RE STILL NOT GOING TO MAKE
ANY DIFFERENCE TO THE ORBIT
AND THE ENCOUNTERS WITH LIQUID
PROPULSION AND CHEMICAL
PROPULSION AS WE KNOW IT
TODAY.
SO THE PHYSICS DRIVES THE
SOLUTION FOR THE ROCKET, AND
ALSO SENSITIVITY OF THE
SPACECRAFT TO THE DIFFERENT
ENVIRONMENTS.
>> AND I WOULD JUST ADD TO
THAT, OMAR, THAT THE ORBITAL
TRAJECTORY OF THE MISSION IS
INGENIOUS.
IT'S ONCE IN A I DON'T KNOW
HOW MANY YEARS OPPORTUNITY TO
MAKE THIS HAPPEN, AND THE TEAM
THAT DESIGNED THAT DID A SUPER
JOB AND TURNS OUT WHEN YOU
LOOKED AT REQUIREMENTS FOR
THAT ORBIT AND THE INITIAL
PARAMETERS OF IT, THAT THE
ATLAS 401 FITS REALLY NICELY
INTO MEETING THOSE
REQUIREMENTS AND SO THAT'S WHY
IT WAS SELECTED.
>> THANK YOU.
BACK TO THE PHONE, WE HAVE
CHRIS GEPHARDT OF NASA
SPACEFLIGHT.
GO AHEAD, CHRIS.
>> HI, I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION
ABOUT THE TRAJECTORY.
I'M CURIOUS, AS YOU MOVE
BETWEEN THE ENCOUNTERS IN THE
L-4 LOCATION, HOW MANY
TRAJECTORY CHANGES?
HOW MANY CLAIM CHANGES ARE YOU
GOING TO HAVE TO DO IN ORDER
TO PASS CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE
ASTEROIDS IN THAT LOCATION?
AND SIMILAR TO THAT, CAN YOU
TALK ABOUT THE WEIRD ORBIT
THAT PETROKLIS IS ON AND HOW
WE'RE GOING TO INTERCEPT THAT
WITH THE EARTH GRAVITY ASSIST?
THANK YOU.
>> I GUESS THAT'S FOR ME.
I'M EMBARRASSED TO SAY I
REALLY DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF
THESE CORRECTIONS WE MAKE IN
THE L-4 SWARM, SOMETHING I
SHOULD KNOW.
DO YOU KNOW, DANIA?
>> I DON'T KNOW, BUT IT'S BEEN
AUTONOMOUSLY.
>> SO I APOLOGIZE ABOUT THAT.
PETROPLIS, PART OF THE
TRAJECTORY WAS LUCK, AND WE
BUILT IT UP SLOWLY AS WE ADDED
MORE TARGETS AND REALIZED WE
COULD GO TO PLACES WE DIDN'T
REALIZE WE COULD GO TO WHEN WE
FIRST SET UP THE TRAJECTORY.
ONE OF THE EXAMPLES IS
PETROKLIS.
IT IS ON A HIGH-INCLINATION
ORBIT AND WHEN WE REALIZED --
WE FOUND THIS BY RUNNING A
MOVIE WHERE THE SPACECRAFT WAS
GOING AND WHERE SOME IMPORTANT
TROJANS WERE, AND WE REALIZED
THAT THE LEAST PROJECTIVES ON
THE PLANE OF THE ECIPTIC, I
REMEMBER TURNING TO THE
MISSION DESIGN PERSON, AND
SAYING CAN WE GO THERE?
HE SAID PROBABLY NOT BECAUSE
PETROKLIS IS ON HIGH
INCLINATION AND THE SPACECRAFT
IS EITHER BELOW OR ABOVE
PETROKLIS, IT HAPPENED TO BE
GOING THROUGH THE PLANE OF THE
ECIPTIC AT THE TIME THE
SPACECRAFT GOES BY.
AS I SAID, SOME OF IT WAS JUST
LUCK.
>> OUR NEXT QUESTION IS
MICHAEL GRESHCOW FROM
"NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC."
GO AHEAD, MICHAEL.
>> I THINK THIS QUESTION IS
FOR DANIA.
THIS IS A SOLAR-POWERED
SPACECRAFT OPERATING IN THE
VICINITY OF JUPITER WHICH AS
WE'VE SEEN FROM JUNO POSES ALL
SORTS OF CHALLENGES.
NOT CHALLENGE IN OPERATION BUT
THE ENGINEERING CHALLENGES OF
DOING IT.
COULD YOU COMPARE AND CONTRAST
LUCY AND JUNO AND SPEAK TO THE
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
THAT COME TO POWERING THIS
SPACECRAFT WITH SOLAR POWER?
THANKS.
>> GOOD QUESTION.
SO LUCY'S SOLAR ARRAY PANELS
ARE 7.2 METERS, ULTRAFLEX,
NORTHRUP GRUMMAN DESIGNED,
THEY WILL BE THE LARGEST SOLAR
ARRAYS FLYING THE LARGEST
DISTANCE FROM THE SUN, AND SO
LUCY WILL BE THE FIRST
SPACECRAFT FLYING THE FURTHEST
ON SOLAR POWER, AND IN ORDER
FOR US TO ACCOMPLISH THAT,
THERE WAS LESSONS LEARNED
AROUND SCALING OF THESE SOLAR
ARRAYS, RIGHT?
THEY'RE VERY LARGE, THEY HAVE
ON THE ORDER OF ABOUT 4,000
SOLAR CELLS PER PANEL, AND SO
IT'S A VERY INTRICATE,
SOPHISTICATED DESIGN.
I THINK THE BENEFIT, AND WE'VE
SEEN THIS IN BUILDING THIS,
THE FLEXIBILITY IN THE DESIGN
IN THAT WE CAN ADJUST THE
POWER THAT'S NEEDED BASED ON
THE DISTANCE WE ARE FROM THE
SUN.
I THINK THE PRIMARY CHALLENGES
REALLY WAS MORE SO AROUND THE
ENGINEERING.
I THINK ONCE THE TEAM FIGURED
OUT HOW MUCH POWER WE NEEDED
AND HOW FAR WE WERE GOING AWAY
FROM THE SUN, THE DISTANCE WE
WERE TRAVELING FROM THE SUN,
IT WAS SIMPLY DOING THE
ENGINEERING WORK, AND DOING
THE DESIGN MATURATION
EVOLUTION.
I DON'T THINK IT WAS
PARTICULARLY HARD, ANY TIME
YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING THAT'S
EXPENDING THE TECHNOLOGY,
THAT'S PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT
PROCESS.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT UP WE HAVE MEGAN BARTELS
FROM SPACE.COM.
GO AHEAD, MEGAN.
>> HI, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
TAKING MY QUESTION AGAIN.
I THINK THIS IS FOR JOHN.
YOU MENTIONED THE EMPHASIS ON
TRYING TO GET EARLY IN THE
LAUNCH WINDOW.
IS THERE A PARTICULAR REASON
FOR THAT BEYOND WANTING TO BE
SURE TO GET IT IN THIS YEAR'S
LAUNCH WINDOW, OR IS THERE
SOMETHING SPECIAL GOING ON,
THE FIRST DAY OF THE WINDOW
VERSUS THE LAST DAY OF THE
WINDOW?
THANKS.
>> NOPE, YOU ANSWERED THE
QUESTION, WE WANT TO GO EARLY
IN THE WINDOW SO WE HAVE
PLENTY OF MARGIN, AND THERE
ARE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH THAT
WHOLE WINDOW OF THREE WEEKS OR
SO, BUT IT'S ALWAYS BEST TO GO
EARLY AND KEEP THE RUNWAY IN
FRONT OF YOU.
SO THAT'S THE REASON.
>> THANK YOU.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER
SOCIAL MEDIA QUESTION, THIS IS
FOR YOU, THOMAS.
TELL US HOW LUCY'S RESEARCH ON
THE ORIGINS OF THE SOLAR
SYSTEM FITS INTO NASA'S EFFORT
TO UNDERSTAND THE UNIVERSE?
>> I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT
LUCY'S RESEARCH BECAUSE OF THE
REALLY PREMIERE AND PINORING
WORK THAT HAL TALKED ABOUT.
THIS IS A FIRST SUCH
MEASUREMENT.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO SEE THAT AS
WE LOOK AT NATURE, WHETHER
IT'S LOOKING AT DEEP SPACE OR
LOOKING ATNIES SMALL OBJECTS
OR EVEN PLANETS THAT EACH ONE
OF THEM TELLS US A CHAPTER OF
THE STORY THAT WE'RE PART OF,
WHETHER IT'S THE EARLY
UNIVERSE, WE TALKED ABOUT WEB.
LATER IN THE EVOLUTION OF
GALAXIES, LOOK AT HUBBLE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE SOLAR
SYSTEM AROUND US, LOOKING AT
EVERYTHING FROM THE EARLY
PARTS THAT ARE THERE, THE
PRISTINE SAMPLES THAT ARE OUT
THERE IN VARIOUS PLACES, NEW
HORIZONS, WITH PLUTO, WHETHER
IT IS DUE TO INCOMING TROJANS
OR THE ASTEROID BELT NEAR US,
IT TELLS US STORIES AND, OF
COURSE, THE STORY OF LIFE
WHICH FITS INTO THAT HOW
ORGANICS FORM, THE INGREDIENTS
TO THESE PLANETARY BODIES AND
WHETHER OR NOT ON MARS, FOR
EXAMPLE, LIFE FORMED WHEN IT
DID ON EARTH, WHICH, OF
COURSE, IS AT THE HEART OF THE
MARS 2020 AND MARS SAMPLE
RETURN ARE ABOUT.
SO FOR ME, HAL, I'M STILL
AMAZED BY THE FACT THAT IF WE
PICK UP A ROCK OR LOOK AT ONE
OF THE PLANETARY BODIES AND
ADD SKIENZ TO IT, IT TURNS
INTO A HISTORY BOOK, AND FOR
ME, THAT CONCEPT IS WHAT I
LOVE ABOUT SCIENCE.
I WONDER HOW YOU THINK ABOUT
IT?
>> WELL, THAT WAS ELOQUENTLY
PUT.
I'M GOING TO REMEMBER HOW YOU
PHRASED THAT.
IT, OF COURSE, IS TRUE.
WHAT WE'RE TRY DOING IS TRYING
TO UNDERSTAND THE STORY OF US.
THAT'S DRIVEN MY ENTIRE
CAREER, AND IT'S REALLY MY
PASSION IS TO TRY TO FIGURE
THAT OUT, AND EACH OF THE
MISSIONS THAT THOMAS TALKED
ABOUT IS FILLING IN SORT OF A
LITTLE PIECE OF THAT PUZZLE,
BUT IT REALLY IS THE OVERALL
PUZZLE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO
SEE.
>> THANK YOU, HAL.
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL WAY TO WRAP
UP OUR PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY.
WE'RE OUT OF TIME, BUT WE'D
LIKE TO THANK THE MEDIA AND
THE SOCIAL MEDIA QUESTIONS AS
WELL AS OUR AMAZING, AMAZING
PANEL OF EXPERTS.
TODAY'S NEWS CONFERENCE IS
JUST THE FIRST OF MANY
BRIEFINGS ON ENGINEERING AND
SCIENCE OF LUCY THIS WEEK.
SO PLEASE CHECK NASA.GOV BACK
SLASH LUCY FOR A FULL SCHEDULE
AND LOOK FOR MISSION UPDATES
ON NASA SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS.
AND, OF COURSE, THIS WEEK
CULMINATES IN THE LEAD-UP TO
THE SATURDAY LAUNCH OF LUCY.
THE FIRST MISSION TO THE
TROJAN ASTEROIDS, AND PER
JESSICA, OUR WEATHER IS
LOOKING VERY GOOD, SO OUR
LAUNCH TIME IS 5:34 A.M.
EASTERN TIME OFF THE BEAUTIFUL
ATLANTIC COAST OF FLORIDA.
AND FOR ALL OF US HERE AT
NASA'S JOHN F. KENNEDY SPACE
CENTER, THANK YOU FOR JOINING
US.
SO LONG AND GOOD AFTERNOON.