Exciting Milestone: Europe’s JUICE Probe’s Dramatic Earth Flyby Before Epic Journey to Jupiter | Technology News
Europe’s JUICE Prepares for Crucial Earth Flyby in 2024
Europe’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) is preparing for a critical maneuver in its mission to Jupiter. Scheduled for August 20, 2024, the spacecraft will fly within 4,200 miles (6,800 kilometers) of Earth, offering a rare opportunity for observation.
JUICE, launched in April 2023, is Europe’s inaugural mission to Jupiter. Its primary aim is to study the gas giant and its largest moons—Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa—suspected to harbor subsurface oceans beneath their icy exteriors, thus being prime candidates in the search for extraterrestrial life.
The Earth flyby is set for 5:57 p.m. Eastern Time (21:57 GMT) on August 20. This gravity-assisted maneuver is crucial for adjusting JUICE’s trajectory. Following this, additional flybys of Venus and Earth will help set JUICE on its path to Jupiter, projected to arrive in 2031.
The European Space Agency (ESA) advises that powerful binoculars or a telescope will provide the best views of the spacecraft during the flyby.
This event also serves as a test for JUICE’s instruments, particularly the RIME (Radar for Icy Moon Exploration) antenna. Previously facing deployment and electronic noise issues, RIME will undergo a performance check during an eight-minute window on August 19, enabling engineers to make necessary adjustments.
Mission operations manager Ignacio Tanco likened these maneuvers to "navigating a narrow corridor at high speed," emphasizing the precision required. Ground stations worldwide will maintain constant communication with JUICE starting August 17 to monitor progress and make necessary adjustments.
Before the Earth flyby, JUICE will pass by the moon on August 19, resulting in brief communication gaps accounted for in the mission’s plans. The flybys provide a significant fuel-saving advantage, reducing the needed propellant from 132,000 pounds to just 8,000 pounds, with an additional 800 pounds held in reserve.
As JUICE nears Earth, it will capture and share images of our planet and the moon, promising an engaging visual bonus for the mission.
(With inputs from Space.com)
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd—First uploaded on: 29-07-2024 at 01:11 IST
Original Story https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/science/europe-juice-probe-set-close-encounter-earth-before-jupiter-9481517/lite/
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