Lucy, the first expedition to the Jupiter Trojan asteroids, will pass within 220 miles (350 kilometers) of Earth's surface on October 16 at 7:04 a.m. EDT.
Lucy will be able to gather some of the orbital energy it needs to reach this unexplored population of asteroids.
By passing Earth on the one year anniversary of its launch.
The Trojan asteroids can't go far enough ahead of or far enough behind Jupiter to change their orbits and go anywhere else in the solar system.
Lucy has been on her journey for one year, and it is expected to last for twelve.
The proposed course for Lucy's two-year orbit will include a return to Earth for a second gravity assist after the first year.