{"id":10880,"date":"2021-10-22T23:54:07","date_gmt":"2021-10-22T15:54:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/images-atlas-5-blasts-off-with-nasas-lucy-asteroid-mission\/"},"modified":"2021-10-22T23:54:07","modified_gmt":"2021-10-22T15:54:07","slug":"images-atlas-5-blasts-off-with-nasas-lucy-asteroid-mission","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/images-atlas-5-blasts-off-with-nasas-lucy-asteroid-mission\/","title":{"rendered":"Images: Atlas 5 blasts off with NASA\u2019s Lucy asteroid mission"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/mQfTt1wcqD4\" width=\"678\" height=\"381\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket streaked into space from Cape Canaveral before dawn Oct. 16 with NASA\u2019s Lucy asteroid mission, a robotic probe to explore a group of enigmatic asteroids leading and trailing Jupiter in its orbit around the sun.<\/p>\n<p>The Atlas 5 launcher, powered by a Russian RD-180 main engine, lifted off from pad 41 at Cape Canaveral at 5:34 a.m. EDT (0834 GMT). The kerosene-fueled, dual-nozzle engine produced 860,000 pounds of thrust to push the Atlas 5 off the ground.<\/p>\n<p>The rocket took off at the first minute of the launch window on the first day of the Lucy mission\u2019s 23-day launch period, hitting a schedule set more than four years ago.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/rT9gWQtXlnw\" width=\"678\" height=\"381\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>After heading east from Florida\u2019s Space Coast, the Atlas 5 jettisoned its first stage and payload fairing, leaving a hydrogen-burning Centaur upper stage to complete pair of engine burns. The rocket deployed the Lucy spacecraft nearly an hour after liftoff on a trajectory to escape Earth and head into the solar system.<\/p>\n<p>Lucy heading on a 12-year sojourn through the solar system that will the spacecraft on flybys of eight asteroids, including seven objects in the so-called Trojan swarms in the outer solar system. Scientists believe the Trojan asteroids are the leftovers from the formation of the giant planets.<\/p>\n<p>These photos show the Atlas 5 rocket\u2019s predawn launch Oct. 16.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_54011\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-54011\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-54011\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy_-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"1000\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy_-1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy_-1-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy_-1-678x848.jpg 678w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy_-1-768x960.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-54011\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Credit: Alex Polimeni \/ Spaceflight Now<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_54012\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-54012\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-54012\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"1050\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-3.jpg 700w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-3-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-3-678x1017.jpg 678w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-54012\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Credit: Alex Polimeni \/ Spaceflight Now<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_54013\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-54013\" style=\"width: 1000px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-54013\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-3-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-3-1.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-3-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-3-1-678x452.jpg 678w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-3-1-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-54013\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Credit: Alex Polimeni \/ Spaceflight Now<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_54014\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-54014\" style=\"width: 1100px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-54014\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-9.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1100\" height=\"635\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-9.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-9-300x173.jpg 300w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-9-678x391.jpg 678w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-9-768x443.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-54014\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Credit: Alex Polimeni \/ Spaceflight Now<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_54015\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-54015\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-54015\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-11.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"1050\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-11.jpg 700w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-11-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-11-678x1017.jpg 678w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-54015\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Credit: Alex Polimeni \/ Spaceflight Now<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_54016\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-54016\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-54016\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-12.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-12.jpg 800w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-12-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-12-678x1017.jpg 678w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-12-768x1152.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-54016\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Credit: Alex Polimeni \/ Spaceflight Now<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_53864\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-53864\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-53864\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy_launch-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy_launch-3.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy_launch-3-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy_launch-3-678x452.jpg 678w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy_launch-3-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-53864\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Credit: Alex Polimeni \/ Spaceflight Now<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_54018\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-54018\" style=\"width: 900px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-54018\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-10.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"900\" height=\"1350\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-10.jpg 900w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-10-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-10-678x1017.jpg 678w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-10-768x1152.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-54018\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Credit: Alex Polimeni \/ Spaceflight Now<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_54021\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-54021\" style=\"width: 678px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-54021\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-15.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"678\" height=\"1017\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-15.jpeg 678w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-15-200x300.jpeg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 678px) 100vw, 678px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-54021\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Credit: Alex Polimeni \/ Spaceflight Now<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_54023\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-54023\" style=\"width: 678px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-54023\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-13.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"678\" height=\"1017\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-13.jpg 678w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/lucy-13-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 678px) 100vw, 678px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-54023\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Credit: Alex Polimeni \/ Spaceflight Now<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><b><i>Email the author.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Follow Stephen Clark on Twitter: @StephenClark1.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\ufeff A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket streaked into space from Cape Canaveral before dawn Oct. 16 with NASA\u2019s Lucy asteroid mission, a robotic probe to explore a group of enigmatic asteroids leading and trailing Jupiter in its orbit around the sun. The Atlas 5 launcher, powered by a Russian RD-180 main engine, lifted [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10880","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10880"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10880"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10880\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10880"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10880"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10880"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}