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 Artist's impression of the JUICE spacecraft | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Names | JUICE | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mission type | Planetary science | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operator | ESA | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mission duration | Cruise phase: 8 years Science phase: 3.5 years Elapsed: 1 year, 6 months and 24 days | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spacecraft properties | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Manufacturer | Airbus Defence and Space | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Launch mass | 6,070 kg (13,380 lb)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dry mass | 2,420 kg (5,340 lb)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dimensions | 16.8 x 27.1 x 13.7 meters[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Power | 850 watts from a solar panel ~85 m2 (910 sq ft)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Start of mission | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Launch date | 14 April 2023 12:14:36 UTC [2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rocket | Ariane 5 ECA | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Launch site | Centre Spatial Guyanais, ELA-3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Contractor | Arianespace | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Flyby of Moon | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Closest approach | August 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Flyby of Earth | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Closest approach | August 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Flyby of Venus | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Closest approach | 31 August 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Flyby of Earth | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Closest approach | 29 September 2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Flyby of Earth | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Closest approach | 18 January 2029 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Flyby of 223 Rosa | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Closest approach | 15 October 2029 (proposed) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jupiter orbiter | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Orbital insertion | July 2031 (planned) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Orbital departure | December 2034 (planned) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ganymede orbiter | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Orbital insertion | December 2034 (planned) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Orbital parameters | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Periapsis altitude | 500 km (310 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Apoapsis altitude | 500 km (310 mi) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
 JUICE mission insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||
The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) is an interplanetary spacecraft that was launched on 14 April 2023 from Guiana Space Centre in the French Guiana by the European Space Agency (ESA) with Airbus Defence and Space as the main contractor.[3][4] The mission is planned to study Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa, three of Jupiter's Galilean moons. They are thought to have significant bodies of liquid water beneath their icy surfaces which would make them potentially habitable environments.[5][6]
The spacecraft launched on 14 April 2023 at 12:14:36 UTCCite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).[7] In December 2034, the spacecraft will enter orbit around Ganymede for its close-up science mission.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page). It became a candidate for the first L-class mission (L1) of the ESA Cosmic Vision Programme, and its selection was announced on 2 May 2012.[8]
In April 2012, JUICE was recommended over the proposed Advanced Telescope for High Energy Astrophysics (ATHENA) X-ray telescope and a gravitational wave observatory (New Gravitational wave Observatory (NGO)).[9][10]
In July 2015, Airbus Defence and Space was selected as the prime contractor to design and build the probe, to be assembled in Toulouse, France.[11]
- ^ a b c d "NASA – NSSDCA – Spacecraft – Details". NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "European Space Agency: Blast off for Jupiter icy moons mission". BBC News. 14 April 2023. Archived from the original on 14 April 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
- ^ "ESA's Juice lifts off on quest to discover secrets of Jupiter's icy moons". ESA. Archived from the original on 14 April 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
- ^ "JUICE. Searching for life on Jupiter's icy moons". www.airbus.com. Archived from the original on 13 April 2023. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
- ^ Clark, Stuart (5 March 2023). "'It's like finding needles in a haystack': the mission to discover if Jupiter's moons support life". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
- ^ "ESA—Selection of the L1 mission" (PDF). ESA. 17 April 2012. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 October 2015. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
- ^ "JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE)". NASA Space Science Data Coordinated Archive. NASA. 28 October 2021. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
- ^ Amos, Jonathan (2 May 2012). "ESA selects 1bn-euro Juice probe to Jupiter". BBC News. Archived from the original on 11 May 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
- ^ Lakdawalla, Emily (18 April 2012). "JUICE: Europe's next mission to Jupiter?". The Planetary Society. Archived from the original on 1 May 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
- ^ Amos, Jonathan (19 April 2012). "Disappointed astronomers battle on". BBC News. Archived from the original on 18 June 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
- ^ "Preparing to build ESA's Jupiter mission". ESA Science & Technology. European Space Agency. 17 July 2015. Archived from the original on 2 October 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
