During a flyby at 30,000 mph, NASA's Lucy spacecraft captures images of a peanut-shaped asteroid

In its groundbreaking endeavor to investigate the earliest components of the solar system, NASA's Lucy spacecraft has achieved yet another milestone. During a high-speed flyby on April 20, 2025, Lucy passed within 600 miles (about 960 kilometers) of the asteroid Donaldjohanson, capturing the first close-up images of the uniquely shaped celestial body. Lucy successfully captured detailed images of the asteroid that resembles a giant space peanut while traveling at a blistering speed of 30,000 miles per hour (48,000 kilometers per hour) adding a fascinating chapter to the mission's journey. A Surprising Dimension and Form Scientists have been blown away by the early images that Lucy sent back. Donaldjohanson’s shape is long and irregular—its resemblance to a peanut or a lumpy bowling pin is striking. Estimated to be about 5 miles (8 kilometers) long and roughly 2 miles (3.5 kilometers) wide, the asteroid is larger than previously expected. Its two-lobed shape suggests that it could be a "contact binary," which means that it was formed when two smaller asteroids slowly collided and stuck together instead of breaking apart. The asteroid's origin and the violent yet creative processes of our early solar system are being questioned further by this discovery. The spacecraft was able to collect valuable data despite the fact that Lucy only had a brief window to take pictures because of its incredible speed. NASA scientists are currently processing additional images and measurements that will allow them to build a detailed 3D model of Donaldjohanson’s surface and structure in the coming weeks.

A Spacecraft Named for a Fossil, Visiting an Asteroid Named for Its Discoverer

The paleoanthropologist Donald Johanson, who in 1974 discovered the well-known fossil "Lucy," is the inspiration for the name of the asteroid. The key to understanding human evolution was that ancient human ancestor, which has been dated to more than 3.2 million years ago. Now, the fossil-named spacecraft is looking for clues about how the solar system got its start. According to Dr. Dr., a project scientist at NASA, "Donaldjohanson the asteroid and Lucy the spacecraft are both tributes to discovery." Levison, Hal We are "extraordinaryly connecting Earth's history to cosmic history." A Future Test: More Than Just a Flyby This flyby of Donaldjohanson is more than a scientific opportunity—it serves as a critical rehearsal for Lucy’s main mission: to explore the Trojan asteroids near Jupiter. It is believed that these ancient objects, which are in deep space and share Jupiter's orbit around the Sun, are remnants of the early solar system. Over the next decade, Lucy will visit eight different asteroids, making it the first mission ever to explore so many celestial objects in independent orbits.

The spacecraft's ability to precisely track and image a fast-moving target was put to the test during the Donaldjohanson flyby. The success of this encounter confirms that Lucy’s systems—from its navigation and camera equipment to its software—are working as designed and ready for the more complex encounters ahead.

Uncovering the Early Solar System's Hidden Treasures Asteroids are often described as time capsules, carrying with them clues about the formation and evolution of our solar system over 4.5 billion years ago. Scientists hope to gain a deeper comprehension of the processes that led to the formation of planets and, possibly, life itself by investigating their composition, form, and surface characteristics. Donaldjohanson is located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, but Lucy’s upcoming targets lie much farther out. The Trojan asteroids, both in front of and behind Jupiter’s orbit, are believed to have formed in different regions of the early solar system before being captured by the gas giant’s gravity. It is anticipated that Lucy's mission will provide the most comprehensive examination of these primitive objects to date, shedding light on planetary migration and the early dynamics of our cosmic neighborhood. The Way Forward Lucy's journey, which began in October 2021, will last 12 years and cover nearly 4 billion miles (6.4 billion kilometers). The Donaldjohanson flyby represents a turning point in its voyage—proof of capability and a glimpse of what lies ahead. Its first Trojan asteroid encounter will take place in 2027, followed by several more through 2033.

Each encounter will build upon the last, weaving a rich tapestry of data and discovery. Lucy will collect data about the asteroids' composition, surface geology, and other aspects using its array of high-resolution cameras and scientific instruments. This information may ultimately assist us in comprehending how planets formed and evolved. Final Thoughts,

Lucy's passing of the peanut-shaped asteroid Donaldjohanson on its way through the solar system serves as a reminder of the amazing things that lie beyond Earth's reach. Just as the fossil Lucy transformed our understanding of human ancestry, the spacecraft Lucy is poised to transform our understanding of planetary history.

Every discovery in science serves as a link between the past and the future; Lucy is contributing to the construction of that link, one asteroid at a time.