The space community is buzzing with excitement for April 20, 2025.  That's the day NASA's Lucy spacecraft will have a close encounter with the asteroid Donaldjohanson.  This event is more than just a flyby.  It's a crucial test for Lucy's instruments.  The spacecraft will pass by Donaldjohanson at a distance of about 620 miles (1, 000 kilometers).  This is not just a casual meetup.  It's a dress rehearsal for Lucy's main mission.

Lucy was launched in 2021.  It's on a 12-year journey to Jupiter's orbit.  Along the way, it will study eight Trojan asteroids.  These space rocks can provide clues about the solar system's origins.  They might even hold elements that could have sparked life.

Before reaching the Trojans, Lucy has a couple of practice runs.  The first was with the asteroid Dinkinesh in November 2023.  Now, it's Donaldjohanson's turn.  Lucy will use this flyby to test its science instruments.  These include L'Ralph, a color camera and infrared spectrometer.  There's also L'LLORI, a high-resolution camera.  And L'TES, a far-infrared spectrometer.  The goal is to figure out the asteroid's composition.  This is a big deal.  It's like a trial run for the main event.

Donaldjohanson is not just any asteroid.  It's named after the paleoanthropologist who discovered the Lucy fossil.  This fossil, found in Ethiopia in 1974, helped us understand human evolution.  The asteroid and the fossil share more than a name.  They both offer insights into the past.  The asteroid, through its composition, and the fossil, through its anatomy.

There's a chance a second asteroid might be spotted during the flyby.  Asteroids often travel in pairs.  If that happens, there's a fun question to consider.  What would Donald Johanson name the secondary asteroid?  It's a lighthearted thought.  But it adds a personal touch to the scientific mission.

This flyby is a big step for Lucy.  It's a chance to test its tools and prepare for the main mission.  It's also a reminder of the connections between space exploration and our understanding of life on Earth.

SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGY

Lucy's Space Date with Donaldjohanson

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