In a nutshell: The European Space Agency has outlined its plans and objectives for an upcoming mission to Jupiter. With any luck, Juice – brief for the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer – will convey us a step nearer to raised understanding the mysteries of those moons.
Juice will go away Earth on an Ariane 5 rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou in April 2023. The spacecraft will leverage 4 gravity help maneuvers over the following a number of years to assist propel it in direction of our photo voltaic system’s largest planet whereas conserving as a lot propellant as potential.
Once on its approach, the craft will take a little bit greater than two years to achieve its goal. Should all the pieces go in keeping with plan, Juice will conduct its first flyby of Jovian moon Ganymede in July 2031. Flybys of Europa and Callisto are additionally within the playing cards.
Astronomers imagine a few of Jupiter’s moons could comprise liquid water beneath their icy surfaces. Ganymede, which is the biggest moon within the photo voltaic system, can also be the one one to have a magnetosphere.
The craft will finally settle into an orbit round Ganymede and stay there till its orbit naturally decays. In late 2035 as soon as all the craft’s propellant is used up, Juice will influence the floor of the moon. Of course by that point, we should always know much more in regards to the universe as an entire due to the James Webb Space Telescope.
The mission will notably be the final for the Ariane 5 launch automobile, which shall be changed by the Ariane 6.
Image credit score NASA