NASA Lucy Will Fly By Eurybates Asteroid in 2027
The mission will examine preserved early solar system material through a series of planned encounters.
Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Space
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NASA's Lucy spacecraft is scheduled to conduct a flyby of the asteroid Eurybates and its satellite, Queta, on August 11, 2027. This encounter is part of an ongoing 12-year research mission to study 11 different asteroids located in the main belt and near Jupiter.
Why it matters
The mission aims to analyze asteroids that act as time capsules, preserving material from the early solar system. By studying these bodies, scientists seek to understand the composition and history of the solar system's formation.
The 12-year mission targets 11 asteroids in total, comprising three in the main asteroid belt and eight Jupiter Trojan asteroids. The mission architecture relies on sequential flybys rather than landings to capture data.
The players
NASA
The United States government agency responsible for the nation's civilian space program and aeronautics research.
Lucy
A robotic spacecraft launched in 2021 to perform a long-term survey of asteroids across the solar system.
The details
The spacecraft travels through the solar system to encounter target asteroids sequentially, performing flybys rather than orbital insertions or landings. This high-speed flyby approach allows the probe to observe multiple bodies while maintaining a specific trajectory through the main asteroid belt and Jupiter's orbit. These asteroids, particularly the Trojans, are of interest because they are thought to contain pristine material left over from the formation of the planets.
Timeline
October 16, 2021: Lucy spacecraft launched.
November 1, 2023: Flyby of Dinkinesh and Selam.
April 20, 2025: Flyby of Donaldjohanson.
August 11, 2027: Flyby of Eurybates and Queta.
March 3, 2033: Final planned Trojan asteroid flyby.
The Tech Race
This mission represents a specialized effort within NASA's Solar System Exploration program to sample asteroid diversity through remote observation. It follows a multi-year roadmap that prioritizes serial flybys to maximize the number of targets surveyed over a single decade-long trajectory.
The mission provides data that informs our fundamental understanding of solar system history rather than offering immediate consumer or commercial applications. Results and imagery from the Eurybates encounter are expected following the scheduled flyby in August 2027.
The takeaway
The Lucy mission continues its multi-year survey of the early solar system to refine our understanding of planetary formation. Readers can track mission progress and the upcoming flyby schedule through official NASA mission updates.
Further reading
For more on ongoing planetary missions, visit Space.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Economic Times.
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