KENNEDY SPACE CENTER. Fla. — United Launch Alliance conducted a “wet dress rehearsal” for its upcoming rocket launch for NASA’s Lucy mission.
ULA’s AtlasV rocket was rolled out to the Space Launch Complex-41 launchpad Friday and fueled to help ensure systems are ready for the launch on Oct. 16.
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The rocket was missing its payload for the test as 66,000 gallons of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen fuel were moved into and then drained from the rocket.
Photos: ULA, NASA finish ‘wet dress rehearsal’ for upcoming launch for to study ‘Trojan asteroids’
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The joint ULA and NASA team reported all systems are “go” to proceed with the upcoming launch.
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NASA’s Lucy mission will travel 4 billion miles over 12 years to study the movement of seven Trojan asteroids.
NASA officials said the Lucy spacecraft will be the first space mission to explore a diverse population of small bodies known as the Jupiter Trojan asteroids.
The asteroids are remnants of our early solar system.
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Officials said the Trojan asteroids are in two “swarms” that lead and follow Jupiter in its orbit around the sun and are almost as numerous as the objects in the main asteroid belt.
Channel 9 will have continuing coverage of the launch and provide updates on Eyewitness News.
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