NASA, ULA confirm ‘all systems go’ for launch of Lucy spacecraft from Kennedy Space Center

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. — NASA and United Launch Alliance (ULA) confirmed Friday that teams have reported “all systems go” for the upcoming launch of the Lucy spacecraft from Florida’s Space Coast.

Lucy is set to blast off from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at around 5:34 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 16.

READ: ULA, NASA finish ‘wet dress rehearsal’ for upcoming launch for to study ‘Trojan asteroids’

Officials finished their “Flight Readiness Review” on Friday morning with a final “Launch Readiness Review” set for Wednesday, Oct. 13.

The Lucy spacecraft has been encapsulated in its payload fairing to prepare for blastoff from Launch Complex 41.

ULA will send Lucy into space atop an Atlas V-401 rocket.

WATCH: NASA’s Lucy mission set to launch Oct. 16 to study Trojan asteroids

Lucy will undergo a 12-year mission to explore a record-breaking number of asteroids, flying by one asteroid in the solar system’s main belt and seven Trojan asteroids.

Additionally, Lucy’s path will circle back to Earth three times for gravity assists, making it the first spacecraft ever to return to the vicinity of Earth from the outer solar system, officials said.

WATCH: NASA provides first of two briefings for upcoming Crew-3 launch to International Space Station

Channel 9 will continue to provide updates on the Lucy mission on Eyewitness News.

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