A grand odyssey of exploration is about to begin. Humankind’s next bold mission to the outer solar system, ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, Juice, is poised to explore giant planet Jupiter and its largest moons. These intriguing worlds have piqued our curiosity ever since Galileo first raised his telescope to the planet and discovered its four largest moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto, three of which are thought to harbor underground oceans.
Early space probes visiting the Jovian system have raised more questions than answers. But thanks to Juice, many of those answers are now within reach. ESA is launching the spacecraft in April 2023 on an eight-year journey to the distant planet.
To uncover the hidden secrets of these mysterious worlds, Juice is equipped with the most powerful science instruments ever sent to the outer solar system. The spacecraft will face many dangers along the way: radiation, extreme temperatures, and the vast gravitational pull of Jupiter, all while operating hundreds of millions of kilometers from Earth. But in the safe hands of ESA’s operators to guide it safely through these challenges, the dangers will be worth it for the science that Juice is destined to uncover.
Credit: ESA/ATG medialab
Provided by
European Space Agency
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2023-02-10 13:45:05
Article from phys.org
One of the most incredible feats of the modern-era space exploration is the journey of discovery taken by the robotic craft known as Juice. Launched in 2022, Juice, or JUICE – JUpiter ICy moons Explorer – is making its way to the Jupiter system to explore and study the four giants of the Jovian system and their many moons. In particular, Juice is exploring the enigmatic frozen satellites of Jupiter, such as Europa, and will search for clues that may provide insight into whether any of these moons have the potential to host life.
Juice is a mission of discovery; the spacecraft carries more than 20 sophisticated instruments that will explore the bodies of the Jupiter system in great detail. This includes instruments developed to measure properties of the surface, such as the topography and composition of the icy crust of Europa. Furthermore, Juice is equipped with other instruments that will investigate the interior structure of Europa, look for signs of subsurface oceans and test the hypothesis of the possible presence of a subsurface biosphere.
The data collected by Juice will be fundamental for the next, crucial steps of space exploration. Acting as a “pathfinder” for future missions, it will help future technology and the mission team to decide the most interesting places to explore and study on the moons of Jupiter. Along the journey, Juice will examine the radiation from Jupiter and its moons to refine models of the magnetic field, and these will eventually aid the mission team’s decisions regarding the best places to send humans to explore the Jovian system.
The mission of exploration and discovery begins in orbit around Jupiter, where the spacecraft will perform fly-bys of Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, and the smaller moons. Then, Juice will set out on a journey that will place it in close orbit around the moons, in order to acquire the best data. This will include a lengthy, prolonged period of study of the icy moons in the dark of the Jovian night. This endeavor is expected to produce new and amazing discoveries and provide us with great insight into the potential habitability of these alien worlds.
The journey of discovery taken by Juice is only beginning – and we look forward to the incredible results that this mission will bring and the many remarkable discoveries made on the journey. We are, quite literally, standing on the threshold of a new era of exploration, and it will all be made possible by the incredible efforts of the mission team and the many scientists who have worked hard to make this amazing journey a reality.