Today’s night is such a remarkable return to Earth by the European Space Agency (ESA) Juice spacecraft, marking a historic moment in space exploration. The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, or Juice, will embrace a “world-first” fly-by as it passes the Moon before heading towards Earth. This action is important to its mission because it prepares it for the long journey to Jupiter. The ambitious Juice mission aims to investigate Ganymede, Europa, and Callisto, Jupiter’s three largest moons.
Juice spacecraft to use Moon and Earth boost
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Since it is believed that vast oceans lie beneath the frozen surfaces of these icy moons, they make intriguing candidates for the search for life from other planets. To investigate the moons’ environments in unprecedented depth, the spacecraft is loaded with cutting-edge scientific instruments, many of which were developed in the UK. The fact that the spacecraft will be guided past the Moon and Earth during tonight’s flyby makes it all the more significant. The Juice spacecraft will receive the gravitational boost it needs to reach its faraway destination through this intricate manoeuvre. Juice will be able to accelerate sufficiently to continue its seven-and-a-half-year journey to Jupiter by utilizing the gravitational pull of both celestial bodies.
Because of the odd sequencing of events, the ESA has referred to this flypast as a “world first.” Because this flypast is critical to the Juice spacecraft mission’s success, flight controllers have worked hard to ensure everything happens as planned. Juice will continue its voyage to Jupiter, where it is expected to reach in 2031, providing all goes as planned. It will spend at least three years studying the enormous planet and its ice moons, which might help answer some of our solar system’s most pressing questions. This mission has taught us about other planets and life’s potential beyond Earth.
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