NASA's latest Small Steps Giant Leaps podcast is available, along with a transcript.

In this one, Lucy Deputy Project Systems Engineer Mike Sekerak discusses the imminent 12 year mission to study Jupiter's Trojan asteroids.

They discuss a range of first and challenges, including the fact this solar powered mission is going out past Jupiter where sunlight is only about 3% as bright as it is in Earth orbit.

The speed at which they'll pass asteroids they want to observe and measure will be 5.8 to 9 kilometres per second.

What's his greatest hope for the mission?

For their probe to send back data which makes scientists say, "Well, I wasn't expecting that."

Lucy's first launch opportunity is October 16.

References

Berger, Maria (October 6, 2021). Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 70, Lucy Mission. NASA.