Nasa’s Lucy Mission’s Space Debris Mistaken as Closest Asteroid Flyby

Experts misidentified the NASA Lucy Centaur mission as an asteroid that will pass too close to Earth to be safe for our planet. Before realizing this error, experts thought this would be the asteroid's closest approach in 2022.

NASA's Lucy Mission is Mistaken for an Asteroid Passing By Earth

According to CNET, it took astronomers a day to realize that the asteroid passing by the Earth is the NASA Lucy Mission instead of the widely recognized space rock approaching the Earth most closely in 2022.

Astronomers gave the previously unknown space object the initials 2022 UQ1. After careful and thorough observation, they determined that it was the NASA mission.

The threat presented by the Lucy spacecraft, which has been circling the Earth for more than a year, was first believed to be an asteroid.

The Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope in Chile made the first observation of the spacecraft, confirmed by several reports from other skywatchers. In a tweet, amateur astronomer Tony Dunn claims that the NASA Lucy probe returned to the planet a year after its launch to benefit from its gravitational pull.

It turns out that 2022 UQ1 is actually the #LucyMission Centaur. It was suspicious that it passed Earth exactly 1 year ago, on the date of Lucy's launch, and then again on Sunday when Lucy made its Earth flyby for a gravitational assist. pic.twitter.com/Bh2mDTC6Ea
— Tony Dunn (@tony873004) October 19, 2022

ALSO READ: NASA's Lucy Spacecraft Swings by Earth on Its Launch's Anniversary

NASA-Funded Study to Put Space Junk Risks on People's Radar

Astronomers are becoming increasingly concerned about the floating objects that are now present in the orbit and other areas because they pose a serious threat to the survival of the human race.

The floating objects currently present in orbit, and other places are causing astronomers more and more anxiety since they constitute a severe threat to the existence of the human race.

Astronomers misjudged the Lucy Mission, highlighting that space junk is a serious issue for both cosmic missions and the global economy. The good news is that this was a false alarm, especially considering that it was moving toward the planet for gravitational support. However, if astronomers interpret the data incorrectly, it will be an issue for everyone.

Hence, the University of Central Florida researchers are a part of a recent NASA-funded effort to learn what people already know about the issue and identify methods to pique their interest.

In a statement, the university said the researchers would use the findings to engage the public and persuade decision-makers to solve the problem.

According to the researchers, resolving orbital debris concerns might increase the cost of satellite-based services, like internet and streaming television, because pre- or postlaunch payments to pay for satellite removal would be required.

Interviews, a nationally representative poll, and the testing of various messages linked to presenting space debris as a concern will all be included in the one-year research. One of three projects recently sponsored by NASA to research orbital debris and space sustainability, it received a $100,000 grant.