NASA's Lucy spacecraft achieved a successful flyby of asteroid Donaldjohanson on April 20, 2025. The spacecraft passed within approximately 600 miles of the asteroid, serving as a crucial rehearsal for its future missions.
During the flyby, Lucy captured high-resolution images. These images revealed Donaldjohanson to be a contact binary asteroid, approximately 5 miles long and 2.2 miles wide at its broadest point.
Launched in October 2021, the Lucy mission is designed to explore a record number of asteroids, including three in the main asteroid belt and eight Trojan asteroids. The next major encounter is scheduled for August 12, 2027, with the Trojan asteroid Eurybates and its satellite, Queta.
The mission's primary goal is to study the Trojan asteroids, providing valuable insights into the early solar system and the formation of planets. As of July 8, 2025, Lucy continues its journey, with all systems functioning correctly.