Nasa Lucy mission went out of their way to visit an asteroid recently and were in for a surprise. Initially, the mission was planned to explore the size, shape, and geology of the asteroid but to their amazement, it ended up being a host to many more secrets.
The spacecraft that was sent to visit the asteroid was Lucy, which is part of the New Frontiers mission. After years of preparation, Lucy eventually reached its destination of the double asteroid known as Didymos. This asteroid is made up of two bodies whereby one orbits the other. Lucy was sent to understand the mass and gravitation field of the larger body in the pair.
After Lucy conducted its observations, the mission revealed that the array of rocks surrounding the asteroid was much more varied than first thought. Initially, scientists believed the rocks were mostly large and abundant, but in reality, a much greater variety was found. Whilst some rocks were thick and large, others were thinner and smaller. Most interestingly, some rocks were even globular in shape.
It was also surprising to find that many of the rocks found were highly oxidized. It was thought that space environment for small asteroids like this would be too unstable to contain large amounts of oxidized material. However, this case was very different, as the oxidized material was found in abundance.
These findings not only provided an opportunity to learn more about the environment of asteroids, but also about the history of our solar system. Understanding the plants that form asteroids can also provide valuable insight into the formation and evolution of planets.
Overall, the Lucy mission proved to be much more than expected, providing us with a greater insight into space and our own place within it. The team now await further findings and discoveries to come in the future.