This representation provided by the Southwest Research Institute depicts the Lucy spacecraft approaching an asteroid. It volition beryllium archetypal abstraction ngo to research a divers colonisation of tiny bodies known arsenic the Jupiter Trojan asteroids. NASA reported Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021, that 1 of the craft's 2 giant, circular star panels is lone betwixt 75% and 95% extended. A lanyard is holding it successful place. (SwRI via AP)

This representation provided by the Southwest Research Institute depicts the Lucy spacecraft approaching an asteroid. It volition beryllium archetypal abstraction ngo to research a divers colonisation of tiny bodies known arsenic the Jupiter Trojan asteroids. NASA reported Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021, that 1 of the craft's 2 giant, circular star panels is lone betwixt 75% and 95% extended. A lanyard is holding it successful place. (SwRI via AP) (Southwest Research Institute)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA is debating whether to effort to hole a jammed star sheet connected its recently launched Lucy spacecraft, en way to research an unprecedented fig of asteroids.

The occupation cropped up soon aft the spacecraft's Oct. 16 liftoff connected a 12-year journey.

After measuring the electrical existent this week, NASA reported Wednesday that 1 of Lucy’s 2 giant, circular star panels is lone betwixt 75% and 95% extended. A lanyard is holding it successful place.

Any effort astatine reopening the helping — which is 24 feet successful diameter (7 meters) — would not hap earlier mid-November.

So far, the occupation has not affected Lucy's outbound flight, truthful there's nary unreserved to fig retired the adjacent step, according to NASA. Everything other connected the spacecraft is moving properly.

The astir $1 cardinal mission seeks to research 7 alleged Trojan asteroids that stock Jupiter's orbit astir the prima and different abstraction stone person to home. Lucy should swoop wrong 600 miles (965 kilometers) of each target.

Ad

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives enactment from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely liable for each content.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This worldly whitethorn not beryllium published, broadcast, rewritten oregon redistributed without permission.