The American Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced new news about the Lucy spacecraft. The probe discovered four of Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids and took the first pictures of their targets.

Images of the asteroids, some of which are still 530 million kilometers from the spacecraft, were taken by Lucy between March 25 and 27, 2023. The probe was able to detect and capture four of its eight targets: the asteroids Eurybates, Polymela, Leuc, and Orus. Pictures were taken using a L’LORRI camera with the highest resolution.

The Lucy probe was launched on October 16, 2021, as part of a 12-year mission to study Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids. This is a large group of asteroids that are gravitationally bound to the largest planet in the Solar System and orbit the Sun along with Jupiter.

Lucy will first make two passes around Earth and perform gravity flights that will put her in an orbit to reach the six Trojan asteroids expected to be visited between 2027 and 2028. The probe will return to Earth around 2030 for a third gravity boost before traveling to a pair of giant asteroids known as Patroclus-Menoetius and reaching them around 2033.