NASA's Lucy mission: Breaking down the mystery of asteroid Dinkinesh's surprising discovery

Even more astonishing was the revelation that Dinkinesh's natural satellite, Selam, was composed of two separate objects fused
An undated image showcasing an asteroid. — NASA
An undated image showcasing an asteroid. — NASA 

NASA's Lucy spacecraft, launched in October 2021, recently encountered an unexpected discovery during its mission. As it flew past the asteroid named Dinkinesh last November, Lucy's sensors revealed that Dinkinesh was not just a single rock but three rocks clustered together. Even more astonishing was the revelation that Dinkinesh's natural satellite, Selam, was composed of two separate objects fused.

"We blew those requirements out of the water," remarked John Spencer, the mission's deputy project scientist at the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in Texas, expressing surprise at the sharpness of the images captured during the encounter.

This discovery has left scientists intrigued, as it could provide valuable insights into the formation and evolution of asteroids. The thin boundary between Selam's two lobes, observed in shadow during Lucy's brief encounter, hints at the complex processes at play within this small system.

"In this small system, we are seeing incredibly complex processes that are happening," noted Edward Bierhaus of Lockheed Martin in Colorado, highlighting the significance of Lucy's findings as reported by Space.com.

Moving forward, Lucy will continue its mission to study Trojan asteroids, which orbit ahead and behind Jupiter. From August 2027 to 2033, Lucy will explore eight Trojan asteroids, aiming to unravel clues about the origins of our solar system and the potential for life on Earth.

As scientists analyse the data gathered from the Dinkinesh system, they are faced with the task of piecing together its story of formation and evolution. Keith Noll, the project scientist at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Centre in Maryland, reflects on the unexpected nature of the discovery, noting, "Either we got incredibly lucky or there's just generally more complexity in these small asteroids than we thought."

NASA's Lucy spacecraft continues to unveil the mysteries of our solar system, with each discovery opening new avenues of exploration and understanding.