The Terminal Tracking Camera System on the NASA Lucy Trojan Asteroid Discovery Mission

Bell, J. F.; Zhao, Y.; Cisneros, E.; Beasley, M.; Olkin, C.; Caplinger, M. A.; Ravine, M. A.; Schaffner, J. A.; Clark, M. J.; Shamah, J.; Faiks, P.; Mottola, S.; Adam, C.; Lessac-Chenen, E.; Bos, B. J.

doi:10.1007/s11214-023-01030-5

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 14 publications

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“…Morphological data from L'LORRI images can be combined with thermal inertia results derived from L'TES (Christensen et al 2023) to determine if the surface porosity is associated with particular geological structures. The combination of TTCam (Bell et al 2024) and L'LORRI imaging of the Lucy targets near the time of closest approach will provide important context for the data from both instruments.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Lucy Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (L’LORRI)

Weaver,

Wilson,

Conard

et al. 2023

Space Sci Rev

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NASA’s Lucy mission spacecraft was launched on 16 October 2021 and will perform the initial in situ investigation of the Jovian Trojan asteroids (Levison et al. 2021, 2024). The Lucy LOng Range Reconnaissance Imager (L’LORRI) is a panchromatic visible light (420–795 nm, 50% QE points), narrow-angle (field of view = 0.29°), high spatial resolution (1.0′′ pixel−1) imager used on the Lucy mission for both science observations and optical navigation. L’LORRI is designed to provide maps of the sunlit portions of the Trojan surfaces to a resolution of ∼10 m (after deconvolution), which will enable crater counting to constrain the surface ages. L’LORRI’s high sensitivity and large dynamic range permits imaging of the low albedo Trojans at moderately large phase angles (down to I/F values of ∼0.0014 with SNR ≈ 30 using an exposure time of 100 ms), as well as providing early acquisitions of the Trojans during the approach phase, searches for Trojan activity that are ∼10× better than can be obtained from Earth, and deep searches for potential Trojan satellites down to $V \approx 20.4$ V ≈ 20.4 at spatial resolutions far surpassing that available from Earth. This paper describes the L’LORRI instrument design and the requirements that drove the design. We present results from L’LORRI’s ground calibration campaign, summarize the L’LORRI in-flight calibration plan, and describe typical L’LORRI operations scenarios during the Trojan flybys. We also present an analysis of in-flight data taken during the first year of Lucy operations, which show that most aspects of L’LORRI’s performance are nominal (i.e., as predicted), but the telescope’s point spread function is slightly degraded relative to pre-flight predictions. Nevertheless, L’LORRI is still expected to fulfill all of its scientific objectives, which should revolutionize our view of the Jovian Trojans.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Lucy Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (L’LORRI)

Weaver,

Wilson,

Conard

et al. 2023

Space Sci Rev

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The First Lucy Earth Flyby (EGA1)

Spencer,

Bell,

Christensen

et al. 2024

Space Sci Rev

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The Lucy spacecraft successfully performed the first of two Earth Gravity Assist maneuvers on October 16th 2022, flying 360 km above the Earth’s surface at 11:04 UT. The flyby was essential for the Lucy mission design, but also provided a wealth of data for scientific, calibration, and public engagement purposes. The Earth and Moon provided excellent calibration targets, being large, bright, and well-characterized, though instrument saturation was sometimes an issue, as the instruments are designed for operation 5 AU from the sun. Calibration data of the Earth and/or Moon were taken with all Lucy instruments, improving knowledge of instrument alignment, stray light characteristics, and sensitivity to resolved targets. In addition, Lucy obtained scientifically valuable thermal emission spectra of the Moon, and extensive images of the DART mission impact into the Didymos system, from a unique geometry, 20 days before the Earth flyby.

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Long-term orbital evolution and stability surrounding a nonspherical binary system

Chen,

Wang,

et al. 2025

Acta Astronautica

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The Terminal Tracking Camera System on the NASA Lucy Trojan Asteroid Discovery Mission

Cited by 4 publications

References 14 publications

The Lucy Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (L’LORRI)

The Lucy Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (L’LORRI)

The First Lucy Earth Flyby (EGA1)

Long-term orbital evolution and stability surrounding a nonspherical binary system

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