BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — NASA’s Lucy spacecraft is scheduled to lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Oct. 16 on the first space mission to study the Trojan asteroids.

The Lucy mission is a 12-year journey to explore eight different asteroids. The spacecraft is equipped with a sophisticated camera, among other tools.

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The Lucy mission takes its name from one of the most well-known human ancestor fossils. The Lucy mission is expected to expand our knowledge of planetary origins and the formation of the solar system.

After traveling about a billion miles to reach the Trojans, Lucy will fly within 600 miles of the asteroids’ surfaces.

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Lucy’s 21-day launch window opens on Oct. 16. If the mission doesn’t lift off in that time frame, it would mean a significant delay.

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