Successfully Launching, JUICE's Mission Now Must Travel Eight Years To Jupiter

JUICE/dok mission. ESA

JAKARTA - The Jupiter ICY Moons Explorer (JUICE) spacecraft belonging to the European Space Agency (ESA) successfully launched on an Ariane 5 rocket. Now, he is on a journey of eight years to Jupiter.

The Ariane 5 rocket took off from the European Space Port in Kourou, French Guiana yesterday at 8:14 a.m. EDT, after a one-day delay due to bad weather.

After reaching orbit, JUICE reportedly managed to deploy 27 meters of solar panels. The spacecraft will prepare its instruments for the next two and a half weeks, then switch between hibernating and maneuvering to bring it to Jupiter.

JUICE/dok mission. ESA

Next, JUICE will fly across the Moon and Earth in April 2024 as the first of four gravitational aid operations that will push it towards the gas giant.

The spacecraft must reach a specific trajectory for this journey, which will involve flying across with the help of gravity from several planets including Earth and Venus to provide thrust to JUICE along the way.

Previously reported, JUICE's mission, which will visit Jupiter's three largest Months, namely Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto, aims to study whether these months have the potential to be habitable because they are considered to house a sea of liquid water under the thick ice crust.

In addition, JUICE will also investigate the volcanically active Io Moon and other smaller natural satellites, namely Metis, Adrastea, Amalthea, and Thebe.

JUICE is set to turn on its instruments and start its science operations as it approaches Jupiter, which will spend six months orbiting the largest planet in the Solar System before observing the months. This was quoted from The Register, Saturday, April 15.