Nasa is debating whether to try to fix a jammed solar panel on its newly launched Lucy spacecraft, en route to explore an unprecedented number of asteroids.
The problem cropped up shortly after the spacecraft’s October 16 lift-off on a 12-year journey.
After measuring the electric current this week, Nasa reported that one of Lucy’s two giant, circular solar panels is only between 75% and 95% extended. A lanyard is holding it in place.
The array is currently held in place by a lanyard. The lanyard, the white cord seen here, is built into the solar array design and uses tension to help facilitate deployment of the array.
📷@LockheedMartin
https://t.co/9U4ytPkBXn pic.twitter.com/xMAqdNSqA9— NASA Solar System (@NASASolarSystem) October 27, 2021
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Any attempt at reopening the wing — which is 24 feet in diameter would not occur before mid-November.
So far, the problem has not affected Lucy’s outbound flight, so there is no rush to figure out the next step, according to Nasa. Everything else on the spacecraft is working properly.
The nearly one billion dollar mission seeks to explore seven so-called Trojan asteroids that share Jupiter’s orbit around the sun and another space rock closer to home.
Lucy should swoop within 600 miles of each target.
