On April 14, 2023, the European Space Agency (ESA) launched the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) mission. The spacecraft will spend the next six years traveling to Jupiter, where it will conduct a detailed study of three of the planet's largest moons: Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa. These moons are all thought to have subsurface oceans of liquid water, which could potentially harbor life.
JUICE is equipped with a suite of instruments that will allow it to study the moons' atmospheres, surfaces, and interiors. The spacecraft will also map the moons' gravity fields and magnetic fields, which will help scientists to better understand their formation and evolution.
Juice lifted off Friday morning from French Guiana. curled from cnn
The JUICE mission is a major step forward in our understanding of Jupiter's moons and their potential for harboring life. The data that the spacecraft collects will provide scientists with valuable insights into the early history of our solar system and the potential for life beyond Earth.
Here are some of the key facts about the JUICE mission:
The spacecraft was launched from Kourou, French Guiana, on April 14, 2023.
JUICE is expected to arrive at Jupiter in July 2031.
The spacecraft will spend about three and a half years orbiting Jupiter and conducting flybys of Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa.
JUICE is equipped with a suite of instruments that will allow it to study the moons' atmospheres, surfaces, and interiors.
The JUICE mission is a major step forward in our understanding of Jupiter's moons and their potential for harboring life.