NASA attempts to deploy stalled solar array of asteroid-bound Lucy spacecraft

After launching in October 2021, one of the fan-like solar arrays powering NASA's asteroid hunter, Lucy, failed to latch after deployment. The agency has now decided to move forward with plans to complete the deployment of the stalled, unlatched solar array.

According to the mission team, the unlatched solar array is nearly fully open, positioned at approximately 345 out of the full 360 degrees, and is producing ample energy for the spacecraft. However, the team is concerned about potential damage to the array if the spacecraft conducts a main engine burn in its present configuration.

Out of approximately 290 inches total, 20 to 40 inches of the lanyard attached to both ends of the folded solar array remains to be retracted for the open array to latch.

The solar array deployment is planned to be completed in two steps:

• Tentatively scheduled for the week of May 9, the first step is intended to pull in most of the remaining lanyard and verify that flight results are consistent with ground testing.
• If the first step goes as planned, the second step will continue the array deployment with the intent to fully latch. Information gleaned from the first part will help fine-tune the second. It is currently planned for a month after the initial one, giving engineers enough time to analyze the data seen in the first attempt.

In October '21, after launch, one of the #LucyMission's two solar arrays did not fully deploy. Now, after months of careful analysis, the team has decided to move forward with plans to complete the deployment of the unlatched solar array. Here's how: https://t.co/ZcTVNqrxJJ pic.twitter.com/dyNetXRrKZ

— NASA Solar System (@NASASolarSystem) April 21, 2022

On its 12-year journey, the Lucy spacecraft will observe one main belt asteroid and seven Trojan asteroids that share an orbit around the Sun with Jupiter, making it NASA's first single spacecraft mission in history to explore so many different asteroids