NASA
Where is Lucy now?
Today Lucy is 6.0 au (903.1 million km) from Earth and 5.1 au from the Sun. Its radio signals take 50 min 13 s to reach us. It is moving away from Earth at 14.6 km/s.
In our sky it is in Libra (right ascension 14h 26m 07s, declination −16° 53′ 11″), but far too faint to see.
Where it is in the Solar System
Seen from above the plane of Earth’s orbit, with the Sun in the middle: the planets’ orbits, the spacecraft today and its path a year back and a year ahead (where JPL’s trajectory covers it).
Mission
First spacecraft to explore the Jupiter Trojan asteroids, flying past several of them between 2027 and 2033.
| Agency | NASA |
|---|---|
| Launch | October 16, 2021 |
| Destination | Jupiter Trojan asteroids, Dinkinesh, Donaldjohanson, Eurybates, Patroclus-Menoetius |
| Status | Active mission; camera tests under way ahead of the 2027 Trojan flybys. |
Milestones
Position: JPL Horizons, October 13, 2026. NASA · Data sources
How to use this page
The page shows where the spacecraft is now, its path through the solar system, its key facts and its main milestones, from NASA JPL’s data.
Frequently asked questions
How is the position worked out?
From NASA JPL Horizons, which publishes the trajectories of spacecraft. The page is refreshed daily.
Can I see it in the sky?
No. Deep space probes are far too small and far away to see, even with a large telescope.
How do we talk to it?
Through NASA’s Deep Space Network, large radio dishes in California, Spain and Australia.