Soon, NASA's Lucy spacecraft will slingshot around the planet. On the first anniversary of its launch, the spacecraft will complete the slingshot
and begin its journey to the Trojan Asteroids near Jupiter. The method is required to provide Lucy additional orbital energy so she can approach those unexplored asteroids.
The Trojan asteroids are imprisoned in an orbit around the Sun and rest about where Jupiter does with respect to our star. Lucy's impending two-year
orbit will change as a result of using Earth to launch it toward the asteroids. The space probe will require another adjustment with Earth-assisted gravity when that orbit expires.
According to a NASA blog article on the planned slingshot maneuver, Lucy will approach Earth from the direction of the Sun.
In order to calibrate the probe's equipment, Lucy's scientists will capture pictures of the Earth and the Moon during this approach.