Solar wing jammed on NASA spacecraft chasing asteroids

By MARCIA DUNN
AP Aerospace Writer

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA is debating whether to try to fix a jammed solar panel on its newly launched Lucy spacecraft, en route to explore asteroids. The problem cropped up shortly after the Oct. 16 liftoff from Florida. Officials said Wednesday that one of Lucy’s two huge, circular solar panels is only between 75% and 95% extended. A lanyard is holding it in place. Any attempt at reopening the panel would not occur before mid-November. Everything else on the spacecraft is working properly. The nearly $1 billion mission is going after unexplored asteroids near Jupiter.