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Spacecraft to Swing by Earth and Moon on Path to Jupiter
Context:
The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Juice probe is set to make a historic double gravity assist around Earth and the Moon on August 19-20, 2024.
More on News:
- Its goal is to determine if Jupiter’s icy moons—Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa—could support extraterrestrial life in their vast, hidden oceans.
- The six-tonne uncrewed spacecraft is currently 10 million kilometres (6 million miles) from Earth.
JUICE Long Journey and Gravity Assists
- Rocket Limitations: The Ariane 5 rocket lacked the power for a direct trip to Jupiter, which is about 800 million kilometres away.
- It has only 3 tonnes of onboard propellant. A direct journey would require 60 tonnes of propellant, according to ESA.
- Gravitational Assists: To save fuel and gain speed, It will use gravitational assists from multiple planets. By using the Moon and Earth for sequential boosts.
- It will pass 750 kilometres above the Moon on August 19 and then fly past Earth on August 20 and will leave Earth at a speed of 3.3 km/s, compared to 3 km/s without the Moon’s assist.
Key Highlights:
- ESA’s space operations centre in Darmstadt, Germany, has started preparations for the complex manoeuvre.
- The spacecraft is set to arrive at Jupiter in July 2031. It will take the scenic route.
- Meanwhile, NASA’s Europa Clipper, launching this October, will reach Jupiter’s moons a year earlier.
- By flying close to planets, spacecraft can harness their gravitational pull to alter their course and speed. The upcoming Earth-Moon flyby will be a “world first”, and “double gravity assist manoeuvre” using boosts from two worlds in succession.
- Amateur astronomers in Southeast Asia may spot Juice with telescopes or powerful binoculars.
Risk Management:
- Precision Required: The manoeuvre has been meticulously planned, with a focus on avoiding errors.
- A minor error during the moon’s slingshot could be magnified by Earth’s gravity, risking the spacecraft entering and burning up in Earth’s atmosphere.
- Trajectory Adjustments: The ground team will monitor the spacecraft closely and have 12-18 hours to calculate and adjust its trajectory if necessary.
Implications:
- Scenic Route: JUICE will also fly by Venus for another boost in 2025 and pass Earth twice more—in 2026 and 2029—before its final approach to Jupiter.
- After arriving at Jupiter, Juice will perform 35 gravitational assists, creating a highly complex trajectory described as a “plate of spaghetti.”
Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice)
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- Launch Date: April 14, 2023
- Launch Location: Europe’s Spaceport, French Guiana
- Launch Vehicle: Ariane 5
- Mission Instruments: Remote sensing, Geophysical, In situ instruments.
- Study Jupiter’s atmosphere, magnetic environment, ring system, and other satellites, including Io.
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Legacy and Future Exploration:
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- It builds on previous missions (Mars Express, Venus Express, Rosetta, BepiColombo) and complements NASA’s Juno and upcoming Europa Clipper missions.
- It will be the first spacecraft to orbit a moon in the outer Solar System (Ganymede).
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