About a month ago, NASA's Lucy mission flew past an asteroid named Dinkinesh and discovered that it has a tiny moon. But it wasn't any ordinary moon. It was a contact binary moon, where two space rocks gently rested against each other.

About a month ago, NASA's Lucy mission flew past an asteroid named Dinkinesh and discovered that it has a tiny moon. But it wasn't any ordinary moon. It was a contact binary moon, where two space rocks gently rested against each other. This unique moon needed a name. So, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) approved "Selam," meaning peace in Ethiopia's language. However, Selam is not a random name. While Dinkinesh is the Ethiopian name for the Lucy fossil, Selam comes from another fossil of the same species of human ancestor. NASA named the Lucy mission after the hominid skeleton fossil Lucy, discovered in Ethiopia in 1974 and estimated to be 3.18 million years old. The mission's objective is to revolutionise our knowledge of planetary origins and the formation of the Solar System. Selam was the name of the fossil of a three-year-old girl, discovered in 2000 in Dikika, Ethiopia and belonged to the same species as Lucy. Although the fossil is often called Lucy's baby, it lived more than 100,000 years before Lucy. ALSO READ | Researchers detect exoplanet orbiting star nine times smaller than Sun The surprisingly high-resolution images by the Lucy mission showed boulder-strewn surfaces on Dinkinesh and Selam. If looked at closely, the 790-metre wide asteroid, Dinkinesh, looks similar to Bennu, visited by OSIRIS-REx. As the team at NASA completed downlinking the data from Lucy's first asteroid encounter and continues to process it, they're expecting more images to come from the flyby. NASA has added Lucy's encounter with Dinkinesh as an in-flight test of the spacecraft's systems and instruments. A recent blog post by Katherine Kretke of the Southwest Research Insitute said all systems worked fine. Kretke wrote, "The tools and techniques refined with data from this encounter will help the team prepare for the mission's main targets, the never-before-explored Jupiter Trojan asteroids." She added, "In addition to the images taken by Lucy's high-resolution L'LORRI camera and its Terminal Tracking Cameras (T2Cam), Lucy's other science instruments also collected data that will help scientists understand these puzzling asteroids." Lucy plans to visit nine more asteroids in six separate encounters in the next decade. After receiving a boost from Earth's gravity in December 2024, the spacecraft will head towards the main asteroid belt. In April 2025, it will encounter an asteroid named Donaldjohanson. The spacecraft will continue to pass through the main belt and finally reach its primary targets, the Jupiter Trojan asteroids, in 2027. (With inputs from agencies)

Asteroid Dinky's double moon, discovered by Lucy mission, has officially been named

On October 16, NASA's Lucy probe, on a journey to a collection of asteroids close to Jupiter, sailed by Earth and captured some breathtaking images of our planet and the moon before heading into deep space. The American space agency earlier this week made public the photos that Lucy's cameras captured of the Earth and Moon as it flew within 224 miles (361 kilometres) of the planet, lower than the orbit of the International Space Station (ISS).

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Hello, beautiful! As the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LucyMission?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LucyMission</a> passed by Earth recently, it captured this look at our planet. The upper left of the image includes a view of Hadar, Ethiopia, home to the 3.2 million-year-old human ancestor fossil for which the spacecraft was named <a href="https://t.co/EiQj0xIDr3">https://t.co/EiQj0xIDr3</a> <a href="https://t.co/BaO0s6PTbO">pic.twitter.com/BaO0s6PTbO</a>
— NASA Solar System 🪐🍬🎃🌖 (@NASASolarSystem) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASASolarSystem/status/1584927037613305857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The tremendous distance between the Earth and the moon was underscored in the first of the two Earth photos, which Lucy captured on October 13. According to a news statement from NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), the two bodies sitting at the frame's opposite edges were approximately 890,000 km away.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-images-prove-a-meteor-crashed-into-mars-triggered-a-massive-quake-529096">NASA images prove a meteor crashed into Mars, triggered a massive quake</a>

The pictures displayed a viewpoint that was recognisable to spectators on Earth since they were obtained while Lucy was halfway between the Earth and the moon, at a distance of around 160,000 miles (260,000 km) from the moon.

In 2021, NASA's Lucy probe was launched. It is the first mission to the two swarms of space rocks known as the Jupiter Trojan asteroids, which orbit the enormous planet alongside it.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/ancient-bacteria-shielded-from-harsh-space-radiation-might-be-sleeping-on-martian-surface-528845">Ancient bacteria, shielded from harsh space radiation, might be sleeping on Martian surface</a>

The flyby earlier this month was the first of three such manoeuvres the spacecraft will perform to accelerate toward the Jupiter Trojans. Before departing for deep space in 2024, the spacecraft will conduct another near buzz of our globe, according to NASA. As it travels through a record-breaking number of asteroids over the course of its 12-year trip, Lucy will assess their diversity in search of hints about how the solar system formed.

(With inputs from agencies)

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On October 16, NASA's Lucy probe, on a journey to a collection of asteroids close to Jupiter, sailed by Earth and captured some breathtaking images of our planet and the moon before heading into deep space.

On October 16, NASA's Lucy probe, on a journey to a collection of asteroids close to Jupiter, sailed by Earth and captured some breathtaking images of our planet and the moon before heading into deep space. The American space agency earlier this week made public the photos that Lucy's cameras captured of the Earth and Moon as it flew within 224 miles (361 kilometres) of the planet, lower than the orbit of the International Space Station (ISS). Hello, beautiful! As the #LucyMission passed by Earth recently, it captured this look at our planet. The upper left of the image includes a view of Hadar, Ethiopia, home to the 3.2 million-year-old human ancestor fossil for which the spacecraft was named https://t.co/EiQj0xIDr3 pic.twitter.com/BaO0s6PTbO — NASA Solar System 🪐🍬🎃🌖 (@NASASolarSystem) October 25, 2022 × The tremendous distance between the Earth and the moon was underscored in the first of the two Earth photos, which Lucy captured on October 13. According to a news statement from NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), the two bodies sitting at the frame's opposite edges were approximately 890,000 km away. Also read | NASA images prove a meteor crashed into Mars, triggered a massive quake The pictures displayed a viewpoint that was recognisable to spectators on Earth since they were obtained while Lucy was halfway between the Earth and the moon, at a distance of around 160,000 miles (260,000 km) from the moon. In 2021, NASA's Lucy probe was launched. It is the first mission to the two swarms of space rocks known as the Jupiter Trojan asteroids, which orbit the enormous planet alongside it. Also read | Ancient bacteria, shielded from harsh space radiation, might be sleeping on Martian surface The flyby earlier this month was the first of three such manoeuvres the spacecraft will perform to accelerate toward the Jupiter Trojans. Before departing for deep space in 2024, the spacecraft will conduct another near buzz of our globe, according to NASA. As it travels through a record-breaking number of asteroids over the course of its 12-year trip, Lucy will assess their diversity in search of hints about how the solar system formed. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

NASA's Lucy mission captures breathtaking images of the Earth and the Moon

One of the circular solar panels of NASA's&nbsp;space probe, dubbed&nbsp;Lucy&nbsp;and packed inside a special cargo capsule, has gotten jammed.

The US space agency has said that the panels are being held by a lanyard and are working below 5 to 25 per cent of its total capacity.

According to Harold Levison, the mission’s lead scientist, ''It’s too early to determine longer-range implications to the entire mission.''

''Our team is working this very diligently and carefully to find a workable solution.''

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/mysterious-radio-signals-from-proxima-centauri-came-due-to-interference-on-earth-424845" hreflang="en">Mysterious radio signals from Proxima Centauri came due to interference on earth</a>

The first-of-its kind mission aims to study Jupiter's Trojan asteroids, two large clusters of space rocks that scientists believe are remnants of primordial material that formed the solar system's outer planets.

The problem had started after the liftoff of the spacecraft which is 24 feet in diametre. It is essential for both panels to work properly to keep the spacecraft healthy and functioning.

Scientists hope Lucy's close-up fly-by of seven Trojans will yield new clues to how the solar system's planets came to be formed some 4.5 billion years ago and what shaped their present configuration.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/planet-outside-milky-way-galaxy-this-unique-discovery-is-baffling-scientists-424136" hreflang="en">Planet outside Milky Way galaxy: This unique discovery is baffling scientists</a>

Believed to be rich in carbon compounds, the asteroids may even provide new insights into the origin of organic materials and life on Earth, NASA said.

No other single science mission has been designed to visit as many different objects independently orbiting the sun in the history of space exploration, it added.

The probe will use rocket thrusters to maneuver in space and two rounded solar arrays, each the width of a school bus, to recharge batteries that will power the instruments contained in the much smaller central body of the spacecraft. 
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One of the circular solar panels of NASA's space probe, dubbed Lucy and packed inside a special cargo capsule, has gotten jammed. The US space agency has said that the panels are being held by a lanyard and are working below 5 to 25 per cent of its total capacity.

One of the circular solar panels of NASA's space probe, dubbed Lucy and packed inside a special cargo capsule, has gotten jammed. The US space agency has said that the panels are being held by a lanyard and are working below 5 to 25 per cent of its total capacity. According to Harold Levison, the mission’s lead scientist, ''It’s too early to determine longer-range implications to the entire mission.'' ''Our team is working this very diligently and carefully to find a workable solution.'' Also read | Mysterious radio signals from Proxima Centauri came due to interference on earth The first-of-its kind mission aims to study Jupiter's Trojan asteroids, two large clusters of space rocks that scientists believe are remnants of primordial material that formed the solar system's outer planets. The problem had started after the liftoff of the spacecraft which is 24 feet in diametre. It is essential for both panels to work properly to keep the spacecraft healthy and functioning. Scientists hope Lucy's close-up fly-by of seven Trojans will yield new clues to how the solar system's planets came to be formed some 4.5 billion years ago and what shaped their present configuration. Also read | Planet outside Milky Way galaxy: This unique discovery is baffling scientists Believed to be rich in carbon compounds, the asteroids may even provide new insights into the origin of organic materials and life on Earth, NASA said. No other single science mission has been designed to visit as many different objects independently orbiting the sun in the history of space exploration, it added. The probe will use rocket thrusters to maneuver in space and two rounded solar arrays, each the width of a school bus, to recharge batteries that will power the instruments contained in the much smaller central body of the spacecraft.

NASA's Lucy spacecraft facing technical problems, solar panels get jammed

Lucy, NASA's first mission to the Trojan asteroids, is all set to explore the solar system and discover its secrets.

Astronomers believe that these primitive bodies are remnants of the material that formed the outer planets.

Trojan asteroids can be divided into two groups. The first ahead of Jupiter and the other behind it.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/first-exoplanet-to-survive-death-of-its-star-provides-hint-of-solar-systems-future-420589" hreflang="en">First exoplanet to survive death of its star provides hint of solar system's future</a>

In a gravitational balance act, they get their stability from the sun and Jupiter.

The name of the mission was derived from a human ancestor's fossils. The skeleton provides rare insight into the evolution of human beings.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/mystery-of-two-identical-galaxies-solved-420507" hreflang="en">Mystery of two 'identical galaxies' solved</a>

Lucy will cover eight asteroids in a span of 12 years. Four out of these asteroids are a part of 'two-for-the-price-of-one' binary systems.

NASA will launch a spacecraft impactor Dart that will visit enticing space rocks closer to home.

The test, that could save Earth from an incoming asteroid, will end with Dart ramming the main asteroid's moonlet to change its orbit.

Lucy, NASA's first mission to the Trojan asteroids, is all set to explore the solar system and discover its secrets. Astronomers believe that these primitive bodies are remnants of the material that formed the outer planets.

Lucy, NASA's first mission to the Trojan asteroids, is all set to explore the solar system and discover its secrets. Astronomers believe that these primitive bodies are remnants of the material that formed the outer planets. Trojan asteroids can be divided into two groups. The first ahead of Jupiter and the other behind it. Also read | First exoplanet to survive death of its star provides hint of solar system's future In a gravitational balance act, they get their stability from the sun and Jupiter. The name of the mission was derived from a human ancestor's fossils. The skeleton provides rare insight into the evolution of human beings. Also read | Mystery of two 'identical galaxies' solved Lucy will cover eight asteroids in a span of 12 years. Four out of these asteroids are a part of 'two-for-the-price-of-one' binary systems. NASA will launch a spacecraft impactor Dart that will visit enticing space rocks closer to home. The test, that could save Earth from an incoming asteroid, will end with Dart ramming the main asteroid's moonlet to change its orbit.

NASA's Lucy mission to begin voyage to Trojan asteroids

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Asteroid Dinky's double moon, discovered by Lucy mission, has officially been named

NASA's Lucy mission captures breathtaking images of the Earth and the Moon

NASA's Lucy spacecraft facing technical problems, solar panels get jammed

NASA's Lucy mission to begin voyage to Trojan asteroids