>> TWELVES YEARS.
8 ASTEROIDS AND ONE MISSION.
LUCY.
THE FIRST SPACE MISSION TO
EXPLORE THE TROJAN IS A
STERIODS.
THESE TIME CAPSULES ARE BILLIONS
OF YEARS OLD AND REMNANTS OF
PLANET FORMATION.
OVER 12 YEAR MISSION, LUCY WILL
EXPLORE ONE MAIN BELT ASTEROID
AND 12 TROJANS.
GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'M NANCY FROM THE OFFICE OF
COMMUNICATIONS.
TO TELL US ABOUT THE ENGINEERING
BEHIND THE LUCY MISSION, WE HAVE
WITH US TODAY JOAN PLANETARY
SCIENCE DIVISION ASSOCIATE
DIRECTOR FOR FLIGHT PROGRAMS AT
NASA HEADQUARTERS.
KATY OAKMAN, LUCY STRUCTURES AND
MECHANISMS LEAD LOCKHEED MARTIN
SPACE.
JESSICA.
LUCY PROJECT SYSTEMS ENGINEER
NASA GODDARD AND CORY ADAM, TEAM
CHIEF KINETICS AIR SPACE.
WE'LL BEGIN WITH JOAN.
>> THANK YOU, NANCY.
WE LEARN MORE ABOUT ALL THE
PLANETS IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM ARE
FORMED AND DEVELOPED TAKES A LOT
OF DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES TO COME
TOGETHER AND WORK TOGETHER OVER
VERY LONG PERIOD OF TIME TO
SUPPORT THOSE COMMON GOALS.
MANY OF THESE LUCY TEAM MEMBERS
IN FACT HAVE WORKED WELL OVER 10
YEARS TOGETHER TO BRING THIS
MISSION TO THE REALITY WE SEEK
TODAY.
MOST NOTABLY THE ENGINEERING HAS
TO BE DESIGNED TO SUPPORT THE
INSTRUMENTS WE HAVE ON BOARD SO
THEY CAN DO THEIR JOB.
THIS REQUIRES A UNIQUE
SPACECRAFT STRUCTURE DESIGN AS
WELL AS A VERY UNIQUE MISSION
PROFILE.
AND YOU'LL GET TO HEAR MORE
DETAILS ABOUT BOTH OF THOSE
ASPECTS IN THIS PANEL TODAY.
YOU'LL ALSO HEAR ABOUT SOME OF
THE OTHER ENGINEERING HIGHLIGHTS
THAT HAD TO BE DEVELOPED TO
SUPPORT THIS MISSION AND HELP
ACHIEVE ITS GOALS.
ONE OF THE THINGS YOU HEARD
ABOUT IS THAT LUCY WILL BE
NASA'S FIRST MISSION TO TRAVEL
THIS FAR AWAY FROM THE SUN
WITHOUT NUCLEAR POWER.
IN ORDER TO GENERATE ENOUGH
ENERGY FROM THE SUN BEING SO FAR
AWAY, YOU SEE ON LUCY TWO VERY
LARGE CIRCULAR SOLAR ARRAYS THAT
OPEN UP LIKE CHINESE FANS.
THEY OPEN UP AUTONOMOUSLY AND
SIMULTANEOUSLY AND HAPPENS ABOUT
ONE HOUR AFTER LAUNCH.
SO WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE
WATCHING THAT REALLY CLOSELY
BECAUSE WHEN THAT IS
ACCOMPLISHED WE'LL KNOW WE'RE
ONE OF MANY STEPS CLOSER TO
GETTING THAT SCIENCE DATA BACK
AND AFTER ALL THAT IS WHAT WE
ARE AFTER IS GET THAT SCIENCE
DATA BACK SO IN A MINUTE MY
COLLEAGUE WILL GIVE YOU MORE
DETAILS AND ALL THE DIFFERENT
POWER LEVELS THAT CAN BE
GENERATED ALONG THE MISSION
DEPENDING ON HOW CLOSE OR FAR IT
IS FROM THE SUN AT THAT TIME.
THE FAULT PROTECTION SYSTEM WAS
ALSO DESIGNED JUST FOR THIS
MISSION AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENT.
BECAUSE WE'RE FLYING BY THE
ASTEROIDS IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT
TO COLLECT AS MUCH DATA AS WE
CAN.
IN ORDER DO THAT IF ANY OF THE
INSTRUMENTS HAS A LITTLE UPSET
DURING THE COURSE OF OPERATIONS,
RATHER THAN THE ENTIRE
SPACECRAFT GOING INTO SAFE MODE
WE'LL KEEP ALL THE OTHER
INSTRUMENTS AND SYSTEMS WORKING
AND WE'LL JUST RESET OR REBOOT.
WE'LL GET MORE DETAILS ABOUT
THAT.
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO KATY OAKMAN
WHO WILL TALK ABOUT THE
SPACECRAFT STRUCTURE THAT WILL
ENABLE LUCY TO ACHIEVE THESE
SCIENCE GOALS.
>> THANK YOU AND WELCOME
EVERYONE.
THE LUCY SPACECRAFT IS VERY
SIMILAR TO MANY OTHER SPACECRAFT
THAT LOCKHEED MARTIN HAS BUILT
FOR NASA.
HOWEVER THERE ARE UNIQUE AND KEY
FEATURES THAT ARE REQUIRED TO
MEET LUCY'S SPECIFIC MISSION
OBJECTIVES.
OUR AVIONICS SYSTEM WHICH
INCLUDES THE COMPUTER, THE
PARADISTRIBUTION UNIT AND ALL
THE GUIDANCE NAVIGATION AND
CONTROL AND TESTIMONY LEE
COMMUNICATIONS.
THEY'RE ALL SIM HRER TO THE
OSIRIS-REx PROGRAM.
IF YOU CUE THE FIRST VIDEO
YOU'LL GET AN IDEA WHAT IT TAKES
TO PUT TOGETHER A SPACECRAFT
LIKE LUCY.
THERE ARE SOME SMALL TWEAKS MADE
IN ORDER TO MEET LUCY'S SPECIFIC
REQUIREMENTS.
OUR SPACECRAFT BUS WEIGHS ABOUT
300 POUNDS AND MADE OF SUPER
LIGHTWEIGHT COMPOSITE MATERIAL
AND JOINED TOGETHER BY METALLIC
POINTS.
AND SO WHAT WAS REALLY COOL
ABOUT OUR STRUCTURE IS THAT WE
TESTED IT UP TO A FORCE OF
40,000 POUNDS TO ASSURE THAT WE
CAN MEET THAT LAUNCH ENVIRONMENT
THAT IS GOING TO BE EXPOSED TO
IN A COUPLE DAYS.
SO IT'S VERY ROBUST.
IF YOU LOOK AT THAT 40,000
POUNDS THAT WOULD BE EQUIFF
LENTED OF TAKING A FULLY LOADED
SCHOOL BUS AND PUTTING IT ON TOP
OF THE STRUCTURE.
OUR ARE PROPULSION SYSTEM IS
VERY ROBUST AS WELL.
IN ORDER TO MEET THE 4 MILLION I
MILE JOURNEY IT IS EQUIPPED WITH
BOTH HYDRAZINE AS A FUEL AND
NITROGEN TECH TOCK SIDE.
FOR THE ADDED EFFICIENCY AND
ENERGY THAT'S REQUIRED FOR OUR
DEEP SPACE MANEUVERS, WE HAVE A
MAIN ENGINE THAT HAS THAT
CAPABILITY OF COMBINING THE
HYDRAZINE WITH THE OBJECTION
SKIESER.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE SPACECRAFT AS
JOHN HAS MENTIONED THE MOST
OBVIOUS FEATURE THAT WE HAVE ON
LUCY IS OUR GIGANTIC AMAZING
SOLAR ARRAY WINGS.
THEY WERE BUILT BY NORTHROP
GRUMMAN INNOVATION SYSTEMS IN
GOLETA, CALIFORNIA.
THEY ONLY HAVE ABOUT 2 METER
SQUARE SURFACE AREA EACH AND
THEN WE BEGIN TO DEPLOY THOSE
WINGS AND DURING DEPLOYMENT
THERE ARE LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF
TINY LITTLE MECHANISMS AND FLECK
CHERS THAT ARE DEPLOYING THOSE
WINGS LIKE A CHINESE FAN.
THEY SPAN 24 FEET IN DIAMETER
AND THEY HAVE 51 SQUARE METERS
OF ACTIVE CELL AREA.
THAT ENABLES LUCY TO TRAVEL
FURTHER AWAY FROM THE SUN THAN
ANY OTHER SOLAR POWERED
SPACECRAFT TO DATE.
WHEN WE ARE NEAR EARTH, THOSE
WINGS HAVE ABOUT 18,000 WATTS OF
WATER SO THAT WOULD BE
EQUIVALENT TO POWERING UP MY
HOUSE AND A COUPLE OF MY
NEIGHBORS.
HOWEVER WHEN WE FLY OUT TO THE
JUPITER TROJAN ASTEROIDS WE ONLY
HAVE 500 WATTS OF POWER.
SO THAT WOULD ONLY LIGHT A FEW
LIGHT BULBS IN MY LIVING ROOM
AND WOULDN'T BE ENOUGH TO WARM
UP MY COFFEE.
WHAT'S COOL ABOUT OUR
INSTRUMENTS IS THEY ONLY NEED
ABOUT 82 WATTS OF POWER TO
COLLECT SIGH EXPERIENCES DURING
OUR ENCOUNTERS.
OUR INSTRUMENTS ARE SUPPORTIVE
OFF OF THE INSTRUMENT PAYLOAD
PLATFORM OR THE IPP.
THE IPP STRUCTURE IS ALSO MADE
OF THE SAME LIGHTWEIGHT
COMPOSITE MATERIAL HOWEVER
THEY'RE JOINED TOGETHER WITH
WHAT IS CALLED MORT 'TIS AND
TENNIS JOINTS.
THIS IS WHAT IS SIMILAR TO WHAT
IS USED IN FURNITURE MAKING OR
CARPENTRY.
THIS PROVIDES A SUPER STABLE
PLATFORM FOR OUR INSTRUMENTS.
THE IPP IS SUPPORTIVE OFF THE
SPACECRAFT BUS VIA IT CAN ROTATE
TWO DIFFERENTACK SEES AND THAT
ALLOWS FOR OUR INSTRUMENTS TO
FLY VERY PRECISELY AT THE TROJAN
DURING OUR ENCOUNTERS AND TRACKS
THEM AS WE PE FORM THE FLY BYES.
AND IS NOW TO THE INTENSE
TESTING TO MAKE SURE SHE'S READY
FOR THE LONG JOURNEY I'LL HAND
BE THE FLOOR OVER TO JESSICA.
>> I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE
REPRESENTING THE LUCY
ENGINEERING TEAM.
AND I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU ABOUT
THE SERIES OF TESTS WE CONDUCTED
AT THE LOCKHEED MARTIN FACILITY
IN LITTLETON, COLORADO TO ENSURE
LUCY IS READY TO SURVIVE ALL THE
EXPECTED ENVIRONMENTS.
I'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU A VIDEO OF
THE VIBRATION TESTING TO PROVE
LUCY SURVIVES THE LAUNCH VEHICLE
RIDE INTO SPACE, VIBRATION,
SHOCK AND ACOUSTIC TESTING AT
THE EXPECTED LAUNCH LOADS WERE
COMPLETED.
LUCY WAS EXPOSED TO 138 DECIBEL
OVERALL SOUND PRESSURE DURING
THE ACOUSTIC TEST.
I LIKE TELLING PEOPLE THE
ACOUSTIC TEST IS NOISEIER THAN
STANDING BEHIND A JOINT THE
ENGINE DURING TAKEOFF.
WE ALSO PERFORM ELECTROMAGNETIC
INTERFERENCE TESTING TO ENSURE
THAT THE INSTRUMENT AND
ELECTRONS AREN'T INTERFERED WITH
BY THE SPACECRAFT BUS ITSELF OR
BY THE POINTING PLATFORM GYM
MR. AS IT MOVES TO POINT THE
LUCY INSTRUMENTS AT THE TARGETS.
IN MY NEXT VIDEO
FOR LUCY THE DISTANCE FROM THE
SUN AND EARTH POSES UNIQUE
CHALLENGES.
LUCY TAKES 3 TRIPS THROUGH THE
INTER SOLAR SYSTEM DURING EARTH
GRAVITY ASSIST AND THE CLOSE
DISTANCE TO EARTH MAKES FOR
WARMER CONDITIONS.
LUCY TRAVELS 5 TIMES FURTHER
FROM THE SUN TO THE EARTH.
IT IS COLD AND DARK SO THEREFORE
LUCY WAS TESTED IN THE THERMAL
VACUUM CHAMBER AT THESE TWO
TEMPERATURE STREAMS BETWEEN
NEGATIVE 250 TO PLUS 300 DEGREES
FAHRENHEIT OVER TWO COMPLETE
CYCLES MIMICKING THE HOT
TEMPERATURES CLOSE TO THE EARTH
AND COLD TEMPERATURES AT THE
JUPITER DISTANCES.
NO TWO LUCY ENCOUNTERS ARE
EXACTLY ALIKE WHEN IT COMES TO
LIGHTING CONDITIONS.
THE ANGLE AT WHICH EACH APPROACH
IS MADE TO A LUCY TARGET IS
DIFFERENT AND WITH THIS IN MIND,
THE OPTICS TEAM CONDUCTED
TESTING TO ENSURE THAT IN THE
UPCOMING PHOTO THAT GLINT FROM
ANY OF THE OTHER INSTRUMENTS
WON'T REDUCE THE IMAGE QUALITY
IN ANY OF THE BLACK AND WHITE,
COLOR AND THERMAL IMAGES THAT
LUCY WILL COLLECT.
THIS REQUIRED A CAREFUL LOOK AT
THE BLANKETING ON THE INSTRUMENT
BEHALF FOLDS AND THEY ALLOW
INSTRUMENT OPTICS NOT TO BE
HARMED BY INCIDENT LIGHT.
AND SO OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE OF
CAUTION WE PUT BLACK TEFLON ON
ONE OF THE INSTRUMENT BAFFLES,
THE LARGEST ONE FOR LORI, SUCH
THAT THE ONES NEXT DOOR DON'T
SEE ANY GLINT OFF THAT
INSTRUMENT.
THERE ARE TWO TERMINAL TRACKING
CAMERAS USED IN CLOSEST APPROACH
TO MAINTAIN POINTING ON
PRESIDENT CENTER OF EACH TROJAN
TARGET AND LORI TELESCOPE
ASSISTS WITH OPTICAL NAVIGATION
AND MAKING SURE LUCY IS PROPERLY
ALIGNED WITH THE TARGETS BEFORE
FLY BY.
AND IS LORI PERFORMS SEARCHES
FOR RINGS.
ALL THESE TESTS WERE CONDUCTED
BEFORE SHIPPING LUCY ON BOARD A
C-SEVENTEEN
FOR FINAL PROCESSING IN
FLORIDA.
UPON ARRIVAL, THE INENGINEERING
TESTIMONY TRANSPORTED LUCY INTO
THE CLEAN ROOM FOR FUELLING OF
THE SPACECRAFT WITH HYDRAZINE
AND OXIDIZER AND COMPLETE
BLANKET CLOSEOUTS TO GET READY
FOR IN CAP SUL LAYINGS.
THIS MORNING, THE SPACECRAFT
ATOP THE ATLAS V VEHICLE WAS
ROLLED OUT TO SPACE LAUNCH
COMPLEX 41 AND IS PREPARED FOR
LAUNCH.
SO I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE CORA
LEE TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE TRA
SKPWREBGTTRY ONCE LUCY LAUNCHES.
>> THANK YOU, JESSICA.
GREAT TO BE HERE AS
REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR GREAT
NAVIGATION TEAM.
FIRST I'D LIKE TO TAKE YOU ON A
TOUR OF LUCY'S AMAZING
TRAJECTORY THAT ENABLES THE FLY
BY OF 8 ASTEROIDS OF 12 YEAR,
3.9 BILLION MILE SKWRURPB THY
THROUGH THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
IF I COULD HAVE MY FIRST VIDEO.
AFTER LAUNCH THE SPACECRAFT WILL
MAKE A ONE YEAR ORBIT AROUND THE
SUN LINING UP WITH OUR PLANET
FOR THE FIRST EARTH GRAVITY
ASSIST.
THIS EARTH GRAVITY ASSIST WILL
SET LUCY ON A TWO YEAR
ELLIPTICAL TRA SKEBGTTRY.
IT WILL SET LUCY ON COURSE TO
THE NEW FORM.
IF NOT FOR THIS EARTH GRAVITY
ASSIST, IT WOULD TAKE 5 TIMES
THE AMOUNT OF FUEL OR 3 METRIC
TONS TO REACH THE AT AN ARE GET
WHICH WOULD MAKE THE MISSION
UNFEASIBLE.
IT INCREASES VELOCITY TO 200
MILES AN HOUR TO OVER 1100 MILES
PER HOUR.
LUCY WILL HAVE A CLOSE
ENCOUNTER.
AS SPACECRAFT REACHES THE
DISTANCE OF 4AU THE VEHICLE WILL
BE COLD ENOUGH TO TKAL CALIBRATE
THE INSTRUMENTS OF THE
TEMPERATURES WE EXPECT TO SEE
DURING THE ENCOUNTER COUNTER.
LUCY WILL FINALLY CROSS IN 2027
ZOOMING PAST LUCAS AND AT AN
AVERAGE SPEED OF 15,000 MILES
PER HOUR.
6 YEARS AND ONE MORE EARTH
GRAVITY ASSIST LATER, LUCY WILL
ENCOUNTER HER FINAL TWO TARGETS,
A PAIR OF TWINS OR EQUAL MASS
BINARIES.
NOW THAT I COVERED THE
TRAJECTORY I'D LIKE TO TALK MORE
ABOUT HOW THE NAVIGATION TEAM
WORKS TO ENSURE LAWSY STAYS ON
COURSE DURING HER LONG JOURNEY
THROUGH THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
NO GPS IN SPACE, NAVIGATION TEAM
USES PROPERTIES OF THE RADIO
TRACKING SIGNALS MEASURED BY THE
DEEP SPACE NETWORK.
THESE VERY PRECISE MEASUREMENTS
ALLOW THE NAVIGATION TEAM TO
CALCULATE LUCY'S POSITION AND
VELOCITY IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM AND
ESTIMATE ITS TRAJECTORY.
IF I COULD HAVE MY NEXT GRAPHIC,
PLEASE.
SO THE FIRST FEW DAYS AND HOURS
AND DAYS AFTER THE ENCOUNTER --
SORRY, THE FIRST FEW HOURS AND
DAYS AFTER LAUNCH ARE CRITICAL
TIME FOR A NAVIGATION TEAM.
ONCE LUCY SEPARATES FROM THE
LAUNCH VEHICLE, SHE BEGINS
GETTING -- THE SPACECRAFT BEGINS
GETTING TUGGED BY THE PLAN
ELICITS AND PUSHED BY THE SOLAR
RADIATION PRESSURE AND
NAVIGATION TEAM MUST WORK VERY
DILIGENTLY WITH VERY LITTLE
TRACKING DATA TO ENSURE WE CAN
ESTIMATE OR PREDICT WHERE LUCY'S
TRAJECTORY IS HEADED SO THAT THE
DEEP SPACE NETWORK ANTENNAS CAN
CONTINUE TO POINT IN THE RIGHT
DIRECTION AND MAINTAIN
COMMUNICATION WITH THE
SPACECRAFT.
ONCE THINGS SETTLE OUT ON THE
NAVIGATION SIDE THE SPACECRAFT
AND SOLAR ARRAYS ARE DEPLOYED
THE SPACECRAFT WILL BEGIN
POWERING ON INSTRUMENTS AND
PERFORMING EARLY CHECKOUTS AND
DURING THIS TIME THEY'RE
PREPARING FOR THE FIRST MANEUVER
WHICH WILL CLEAN UP ANY ERRORS
FROM LAUNCH AND THAT IS PLAN TO
DO OCCUR 30 DAYS AFTER LAUNCH.
THE NAVIGATION TEAM CONTINUES TO
TRACK LUCY USING THE RADIO
METRIC TRACKING DATA AND
COMPUTES CORRECTION MANEUVERS TO
ENSURE LUCY STAYS ON THIS
DELICATE AND BEAUTIFUL
TRAJECTORY.
AS THE SPACECRAFT APPROACHES
ABOUT 60 DAYS BEFORE THE
ENCOUNTER THE LORI TELESCOPE
CAMERA ON BOARD THE SPACECRAFT
WILL BEGIN TAKING PICTURES IN
THE DIRECTION OF EACH TROJAN
ASTEROID AND COLLECT SIGNALS
FROM THE TROJANS -- WITH A LOT
OF THE STARS IN THE BARK
GROUND -- AND DOWN LINK THOSE
IMAGES AND OUR KINETICS OPTICAL
NAVIGATION TEAM USES A VARIETY
OF TECHNIQUES TO FIND EACH
TARGET IN THE IMAGE AND THAT
GIVES VERY STRONG MEASUREMENT TO
HONE IN COMBINATION WITH THE
RADIO TRACKING SIGNALS TO HONE
IN ON THE TRAJECTORY AND
FINALIZE THE DELICATE MANEUVERS
TO ENSURE THAT LUCY FLIES BY THE
RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME TO
COLLECT THE RIGHT SCIENCE.
IN MY NEXT VIDEO YOU'LL SEE AN
ANIMATION OF LUCY'S ENCOUNTER
WITH THE BINARY ASTEROID SYSTEM.
FOR MOST, THE SPACECRAFT FLIES
AS CLOSE AS 620 MILES OR A
THOUSAND KILOMETERS FROM THE
TROJAN.
THAT'S THE DISTANCE BETWEEN
CHICAGO AND WASHINGTON, D.C. BY
PLANE.
LUCY'S CAMERA IS SO HIGH
RESOLUTION THAT IF YOU WERE TO
USE LORI TO TAKE A PICTURE OF
THE WASHINGTON MONUMENT FROM
CHICAGO, IT WOULD APPEAR 34
PIXELS TALL IN THE IMAGE.
THE LAST IMAGE TAKEN 5 DAYS
BEFORE THE ENCOUNTER WILL NOT
COLLECTED MORE THAN A FEW PIXELS
OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE TROJAN.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT PATIENTLY
AS TERMINAL TRACKING SYSTEM
ENSURES THAT ALL THE SCIENCE
DATA IS IMAGED PROPERLY AND WE
WILL -- WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL
THAT DATA IS HROUPB DOWNLINKED
TO SEE WHAT EACH TROJAN AND
ASTEROID LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT
IT'S COMPOSED OF.
WITH THAT I'LL PASS IT BACK TO
NANCY FOR QUESTIONS.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU CORA.
WE'RE NOW READY TO TAKE
QUESTIONS FROM THE MEDIA.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND
AFFILIATION AND I BELIEVE WE
HAVE A QUESTION FROM STEVEN
CLARK WITH SPACEFLIGHT NOW.
PLEASE ASK YOUR QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY
QUESTION.
MY QUESTION IS PROBABLY FOR
JESSICA OR PERHAPS INDICATE AT
A.
CAN ONE OF YOU WALK ME THROUGH
THE SEQUENCE ON THE SPACECRAFT
AFTER DEPLOYMENT FROM THE AT
LAST LIST 5 AND WHEN AND HOW YOU
EXPECT TO ACQUIRE THE FIRST
SIGNALS FROM LUCY
AND WHEN DO YOU DEPLOY THE
SOLAR PANELS AND INSTRUMENT
PLATFORM AND JUST WALK ME
THROUGH THOSE HOURS AND DAYS
AFTER SEPARATION FROM THE
ROCKET.
THANK YOU.
>> SURE, STEVE.
SO, WE LAUNCH 58 MINUTES AFTER
LAUNCH LUCY SEPARATES FROM THE
LAUNCH VEHICLE AND ABOUT 6
MINUTES AFTER THAT, WE START
DEPLOYING THE SOLAR ARRAYS.
TAKES ABOUT 20 MINUTES FOR THE
SIMULTANEOUS DEPLOYMENT OF THOSE
ARRAYS, AND WE ACQUIRE DATA --
WE START TRANSMITTING 30 SECONDS
AFTER SEPARATION FROM THE SPACE
LAUNCH VEHICLE AND WE GET INTO
OUR CALM ATTITUDE BETWEEN 30 AND
60 MINUTES LATER FOR CONTINUOUS
CALM.
BUT WE GET INTERMITTENT
COMMUNICATION THROUGHOUT THE
WHOLE SOLAR APPOINTMENT.
TWO DAYS AFTER LAUNCH IS WHEN
THE INSTRUMENT PLATFORM IS
DEPLOYED AND WE'LL START GETTING
DATED AT A FROM THAT INSTRUMENT
SET.
OKAY. LET'S GO TO ANOTHER
QUESTION.
HAGUE BEGIN WARREN FROM NASA
SPACEFLIGHT.
>> HI, EVERYBODY.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY
QUESTION.
MY QUESTION IS FOR EITHER
JESSICA OR KATY.
WHAT WAS THE MOTIVE USING
CIRCULAR SOLAR PANELS INSTEAD OF
MORE TRADITIONAL RECTANGULAR
PANELS?
>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
THERE'S REALLY NO REASON WHY WE
NEED TO GO WITH CIRCULAR VERSUS
RETANGLER OR ANY OTHER SHAPE.
BUT THIS PARTICULAR DESIGN
ENABLES US TO REALLY STOW A LOT
CLOSELY AND TIGHTLY NEXT TO THE
SPACECRAFT FOR LAUNCH.
IF YOU COULD IMAGINE HAVING ANY
PARTICULAR SHAPE OTHER THAN THIS
REALLY UNIQUE DESIGN WOULDN'T
ENABLE US TO GET TO THAT 51
METERS SQUARED AND STILL FIT
WITHIN LAUNCH VEHICLE FAIRING.
SO THIS UNIQUE AND SPECIAL
DESIGN REALLY ISN'T BASED
CIRCULAR SHAPE MORE SO THAN JUST
GETTING THE ACTIVE CELL AREA
THAT WE NEED.
>> WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM AMY
THOMPSON SPACE.COM.
PLEASE ASK YOUR QUESTION.
>> HI.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR TAKING MY
QUESTION.
I WAS WONDERING WHAT SORT OF
SCIENCE ARE YOU GOING TO BE
DOING BEFORE YOU GET TO THE
TROJANS IF THERE IS ANY TYPE OF
MEASUREMENTS THAT YOU CAN TAKE
AND ALSO WHAT IF THE DATA -- HOW
IS IT GOING TO BE SENT BACK?
ARE WE GOING TO GET PICTURES?
CAN YOU SEND BACK A LOT OF DATA
AT ONCE?
THANKS.
>> SO I'LL TAKE THAT QUESTION.
THANK YOU, AMY.
SO, WE DO HAVE AN ONEWAY LIGHT
TIME OF 55 MINUTES.
SO WHEN WE TRANSMIT IT BACK IT
WON'T BE RIGHT AWAY AS WE'RE
DOING THE ENCOUNTERS.
BUT IT'S FULL OF IMAGES AND THEY
COME IN BLACK AND WHITE, PAINING
CHROMATIC AND
COLOR IMAMS AND THERMAL
TEMPERATURES AND MAPPING OF THE
SURFACE.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE
GEOLOGY AND SURFACE PROPERTIES
OF HE'S ASTEROIDS AND THEY COME
BACK NOT ALL AT ONCE.
WE DO PRIORITIZE THEM DEPENDING
ON WHERE WE WERE AS WE WERE
FLYING BY AND SO WE WANTED TO
EVENTUALLY BRING ALL THOSE
IMAGES BACK.
BUT THE EARLY SETS WILL BE A
SUBSET.
>> THANK YOU.
NEXT UP IS KIM KRAMER FROM SPACE
UP CLOSE.
PLEASE ASK YOUR QUESTION.
>> HI.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY QUESTION
AND GOOD LUCK.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE
INSTRUMENT POINTING PLATFORM.
IF SOMEONE COULD TALK A LITTLE
BIT MORE ABOUT THAT IN DETAIL.
HOW THAT'S GOING TO OPERATE TO
POINT THE SCIENCE INSTRUMENTS
DURING EACH OF THESE FLY BYES.
BECAUSE YOU'RE MOVING AT SUCH
GREAT RATE.
HOW MUCH DOES IT HAVE TO SWIVEL
AND HOW MUCH DOES SPACECRAFT
MOVE, IF YOU COULD GO INTO SOME
DETAILS ABOUT THAT.
AND ALSO I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF
THESE TRAJECTORY VIDEOS ARE
ONLINE OR YOU'LL PUT THEM
ONLINE.
THANK YOU.
>> I CAN TAKE THE FIRST PART AND
PLEASE JUMP IN AND ADD TO IT.
SO WE DO RELY ON THE TWO AXIS
GAMBLE TO ASSIST US DURING OUR
FLY BYES.
WE HAVE AN INNER AXIS THAT WILL
DO MOST OF THE WORK BUT WE RELY
ON THE ATTITUDE CONTROL SYSTEM.
BOTH THE SPACECRAFT WILL BE
ROTATING TO ALIGN THE PAYLOAD OR
INSTRUMENTS AND THEN THE TWO
AXIS GAMBLE WILL BE ALLOWING
THAT ADDITIONAL TARGETING AND
POINTING AND WE HAVE A CLOSE
LOOP CONTROL SYSTEM SO WE KNOW
WHAT WE ARE POINTING AT CAN BE
TRACKED PRECISELY BY BOTH THE
SPACECRAFT ATTITUDE CONTROL AND
THE TWO AXIS GYM MR. S.
>> IF YOU THINK ABOUT FLYING BY
A TARGET THERE WILL COME A TIME
AS YOU APPROACH THAT THE
SPACECRAFT ATTITUDE WILL HAVE TO
CHANGE AND TURN TO CONTINUE
LOOKING AT THE TARGET AS WE'RE
GOING AWAY.
SO THERE ARE SOME MECHANICS IN
THE ATTITUDE CHANGES OF THE
SPACECRAFT AS WE ALONG AND ALSO
TO MAINTAIN POSITIVE POWER
HAVING THE SOLAR ARRAYS POINT
BACK TOWARDS THE SUN.
THERE IS A BRIEF PERIOD WHERE WE
POINT OFF SUN IN ORDER TO MAKE
THAT TRANSITION AND LOOK BACK AT
THE ASTEROID AS WE FLY PAST.
>> I'LL CHIME IN ABOUT THE
TRAJECTORY VIDEOS.
ALL THE VIDEOS AND TKPWRA
PRODUCTS, GRAPHICS BEING
DISCUSSED TODAY ARE LOCATED ON
OUR SCIENTIFIC VISUALIZATION
STUDIO.
IT'S UNDER THE LUCY GALLERY.
OKAY. LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE
SOME QUESTIONS FROM SOCIAL
MEDIA.
SO THE FIRST QUESTION IS, HOW
MUCH EXTRA FUEL IS EXPECTED TO
BE ON BOARD AT THE END OF ITS 12
YEAR MISSION?
IS THIS A BEST CASE DELTA V
NUMBER FOR ADDITIONAL MANEUVERS
TO VISIT MORE BODIES?
>> I CAN TALK TO THAT.
THERE WILL BE A GOOD AMOUNT OF
FUEL LEFT ON BOARD.
WHAT'S AMAZING ABOUT THAT
TRAJECTORY IS WE CAN CONTINUE TO
DO LOOPS FOR AS LONG AS THE
SPACECRAFT IS HEALTHY.
AFTER THE FINAL ENCOUNTER WITH
THE BINARY ASTEROIDS, AS LONG AS
THE SPACECRAFT IS HEALTHY, WE
PLAN TO PROPOSE TO NASA TO DO AN
ABOUT EXTENDED MISSION AND
EXPLORE MORE TROJANS.
>> MY DAUGHTERING YOUNG SUPER
INTO SPACE.
THE A BOOK ABOUT THE HUBBLE
TELESCOPE IS HER GAVE WRIT GO
TO.
WHICH OF YOU LIKED SPACE AS
EARLY AS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND
WHAT WERE SOME OF YOUR GREAT
MEMORIES OR GIFTS OF SUPPORT FOR
YOU BACK THEN?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
WHEN I WHAT YOU IN ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL AND MY FAMILY VACATIONED
EVERY SUMMER IN NORTH CAROLINA
AND ONE SUMMER WE HAD A SPECIAL
TREAT.
THERE WAS A SPECIAL EVENT GOING
ON AND THAT WAS THE FIRST MOON
LANDING.
AND SO, AT THE WRIGHT BROTHERS
MEMORIAL WHERE WE HAD THE FIRST
AIRCRAFT FLIGHT IN THE COUNTRY
OR WORLD WE HAD BIG PROJECTORS
AND EVERYONE VACATIONING GOT TO
WATCH.
SO THAT WAS A SPECIAL MEMORY.
BUT WHAT WAS MORE IMPACT TO ME
WAS WHEN I WHAT YOU IN HIGH
SCHOOL AND I CAN PICTURE THIS.
MY GEOMETRY TEACHER CAME UP ME
AND SAID YOU'RE REALLY GOOD AT
MATH AND I NEVER UNDERSTOOD
THAT.
AND THAT WAS -- I THOUGHT
EVERYBODY LIKED MATH.
I LIKED MATH AND I THOUGHT
EVERYONE DID.
THAT WAS A GIFT TO ME THAT THE
GEOMETRY TEACHER MANIED BY THE
WATER FOUNTAIN BECAUSE I
PROBABLY WOULD HAVE NEVER
MAJORED IN THAT HAD HE NOT SAID
THAT.
AND WHAT THAT DID WAS OPEN A
REALLY REWARDING CAREER.
I THANK HIM AND ANY OF YOU THAT
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE
GIFTS LIKE THAT TO CHILDREN OF
ANY AGES, PLEASE DO.
THANK YOU.
>> LET'S GO BACK TO SOCIAL
MEDIA.
KATY, I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO TAKE
THIS QUESTION.
HOW DO YOU SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATE
THROUGH THE VAN ELLEN BELT?
>> IS
GOOD QUESTION.
FIRST OF ALL I HAVE TO SAY EVEN
WHEN WE RECEIVE OUR AVIONICS AS
WE HAVE GONE THROUGH EXTENSIVE
TESTING, INCLUDING SHARING THAT
THEY CAN SURVIVE ALL THE
ENVIRONMENTS SO FROM LAUNCH
THROUGH RADIATION THROUGH THE
EXTREME COLD, LUCY WILL
EXPERIENCE GOING OUT TO THE
JUPITER TROJAN ASTEROIDS WE MAKE
SURE THAT WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY
THAT WE HAVE RADIATION HARDENED
COMPONENTS TO SURVIVE ALL
ENVIRONMENTS, INCLUDING THAT.
>> OKAY. HERE'S ANOTHER ONE.
HOW MUCH NEW GROUND IS THE
MISSION BREAKING IN TERMS OF THE
ABILITY OF A SPACECRAFT TO
VOYAGE AROUND THE SOLAR SYSTEM?
JESSICA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE
THAT ONE?
>> SURE.
THANKS, JOAN.
CERTAINLY WE ARE BREAKING GROUND
WITH LUCY.
NOT ONLY ARE WE GOING TO BE THE
FURTHEST SOLAR POWERED MISSION
BUT WE'LL BE THE FIRST MISSION
TO VISIT 8 ASTEROIDS.
SO THAT'S REALLY RECORD BREAKING
AND HUGE TRIBUTE TO OUR SCIENCE
AND ENGINEERING TEAM.
>> GREAT, THANKS, JESS.
IS THE SOLAR WIND OF ANY USE IN
THE MISSION?
>> THE PRESSURE IS SOMETHING
THAT THE NAVIGATION TEAM AND
DESIGNERS ACCOUNT FOR IN
PWHOETSDZ BOTH MISSION DESIGN
AND NAVIGATION.
ESPECIALLY WITH SOLAR ARRAYS AS
LARGE AS LUCY HAS, SOLAR
RADIATION PRESSURE DOES IMPART A
FULL FORCE THAT NEEDS TO BE
ACCOUNTED FOR AND CAN BE USED IN
A POSITIVE WAY FOR THE
SPACECRAFT.
SO GREAT QUESTION.
>> WE'LL TAKE ONE MORE SOCIAL
MEDIA QUESTION.
THIS ONE -- SO YOU WENT THROUGH
A LONG WAY TO GET TO THIS POINT.
WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE
FROM THE BEGINNING OF LUCY
PROJECT UNTIL TODAY?
KATY OR JESSICA?
>> I GUESS I COULD START IT OUT.
I IMAGINE THAT ALL OF US ON THIS
PANEL AND OUR FELLOW ENGINEERS
WHO HELPED BUILD AND TEST LUCY
HAVE ALL HAD DIFFERENT
OBSTACLES.
FOR ME BEING PART OF THE TEAM
WORKING WITH NORTHROP GRUMMAN,
THIS WAS VERY LARGE AND I
MENTIONED TINY LITTLE MOVING
PARTS MADE IT QUITE CHALLENGING
TO FIRST MANUFACTURE IN THE
FIRST PLACE.
THERE WERE SEVERAL OBSTACLES
THAT THE TEAM HAD TO COORDINATE
AND OVERCOME SINCE THIS WAS A
NEW DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AND THEN
GETTING IT'S AN ASSEMBLED AND
TESTING IT.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO OPEN IN ZERO G
BUT WE HAVE TO TEST IT DOWN HERE
SO WE HAVE 1G DO THAT WITH.
SO TRYING TO GET THE MULTIPLE
OBSTACLES FIGURED OUT AND
OVERCOMING AND COLLABORATING ON
SOLUTIONS WAS A CHALLENGE FOR ME
AND PROBABLY ONE OF MY HAPPIEST
DAY ON THE PROGRAM WAS BEING OUT
IN GOLETA, CALIFORNIA, TO SEE
THE VERY FIRST SOLAR ARRAY WING
FULLY DEPLOY ON ITS OWN DOWN
HERE ON EARTH.
I'LL BE EVEN MORE HAPPY A COUPLE
DAYS FROM NOW WHEN WE HEAR THAT
BOTH WINGS HAVE DEPLOYED AND
SENDING LUCY ON ITS WAY.
>> JESSICA?
>> CHALLENGES ON LUCY.
MY FIRST FEW DAYS THE BIGGEST
CHALLENGE WAS UNDERSTANDING THE
TRAJECTORY AND REALLY TRYING TO
WRAP MY BRAIN AROUND THAT.
I THINK THE SCIENCE HAS ALWAYS
BEEN REALLY EXCITING ON THIS
MISSION.
TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE
SOLAR SYSTEM FORMED IS A REASON
TO GET UP IN THE MORNING AND
REALLY KEEP GOING.
AND I THINK OUR ENGINEERING TEAM
WE CERTAINLY WEPT THROUGH OUR
UPS AND DOWNS AND CHALLENGES.
YOU CAN IMAGINE WE HAVE TWO
MILES OF WIRE HARNESSING RUNNING
ACROSS THE SPACECRAFT AND LOTS
OF TESTING THAT HAD TO BE DONE
BETWEEN OVER PIECE PART AND
COMPONENT INSTRUMENT AND THE
LIKE, SO AS KATY SAID, IT TAKES
A VILLAGE AND OUR WHOLE TEAM OF
500 PLUS PEOPLE TO GET THIS WORK
DONE.
SO ONE OF THE CHALLENGES ALWAYS
COMMUNICATION ACROSS THE TEAM
AND I THINK LUCY'S SUCCESS HAS
BEEN BECAUSE WE HAVE GREAT
COMMUNICATION AND WHAT A GREAT
TEAM.
>> LUCY WAS FACED WITH THE
PANDEMIC AND WE ALL WERE.
OUR CENTERS WERE SHUTTING.
SOME OF OUR COMMERCIAL CORE
IMPORTANT RAKESES THAT WERE
BUILDING THESE ALSO WERE
SHUTTING.
WE DIDN'T KNOW WHEN THEY WOULD
REOPEN.
THEY PULLED IT UP DURING A
PANDEMIC.
COMPLETELY NO WAY TO PREDICT
THIS OR KNOW HOW BAD IT WOULD BE
AND WE'RE HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF
ALL THAT.
GO LUCY.
>> THANK YOU, JOAN.
WE'LL GET READY TO WRAP THINGS
UP.
SO FIRST I WANT TO THANK ALL THE
PANELISTS.
THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING.
SO, FOR THE VIEWERS, TO SEE THE
FULL SCHEDULE OF LUCY EVENTS, GO
TO WWW.NASA.GOV/LUCY AND FINALLY
LUCY IS SCHEDULED TO LAUNCH THIS
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16TH AT
5:34 A.M. EASTERN TIME.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR
TUNING IN AND OF A GREAT DAY AND
GO LUCY.