On October 16, 2021, NASA’s Lucy spacecraft will begin its journey to visit a record-breaking number of asteroids.

The 12-year mission starts from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center where it’ll launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 rocket.

NASA will provide coverage of upcoming prelaunch and launch activities for Lucy, the agency’s first mission to explore the Jupiter Trojan asteroids.

EDT Saturday, October 16, on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V 401 rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

EDT on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website.

NASA will hold a prelaunch briefing Wednesday, October 13, and science and engineering briefings October 14.

Over its 12-year primary mission, Lucy will explore a record-breaking number of asteroids.

Lucy will be the first space mission to explore the Trojan asteroids.

Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.

10 a.m.: NASA EDGE: Live Lucy Rollout Show.

1 p.m.: Lucy science briefing with the following participants:.

3:30 p.m.: NASA Science Live with the following participants:.

This episode will air live on NASA Television and stream live on the agency’s Facebook, Twitter and YouTube channels.

Lucy is the first mission to explore the Jupiter Trojans – two swarms of asteroids that share Jupiter’s orbit, leading and trailing the giant planet by sixty degrees.

Now, NASA is sending Lucy on a winding, twelve-year-long path to visit one main-belt asteroid and seven Jupiter Trojans.

Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Scientific Visualization Studio.

Audio only of the news conferences and launch coverage will be carried on the NASA “V” circuits, which may be accessed by dialing 321-867-1220, -1240, -1260 or -7135.

On launch day, “mission audio,” countdown activities without NASA TV launch commentary, will be carried on 321-867-7135.

NASA’s virtual guest program for Lucy includes curated launch resources, a behind-the-scenes look at the mission, and the opportunity for a virtual guest launch passport stamp

Stay up to date on the latest mission activities, interact with NASA team members in real-time, and watch the launch

The launch of this mission is managed by NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at Kennedy, America’s premier multi-user spaceport

Lucy is the 13th mission in NASA’s Discovery Program

NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, manages the Discovery Program for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington