Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) mission

Geography Space

13-Apr-23

Context: Recently, the European Space Agency (ESA) has launched the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) mission from its spaceport in French Guiana on an Ariane 5 launcher.

About the mission

It will reach Jupiter in 2031.
Aim: to explore the Jupiter and its icy moons, which potentially have habitable environments.
Juice will create detailed maps using remote sensing, geophysical instruments, of the ocean-bearing moons’ surfaces: Ganymede, Callisto and Europa to enable the scientists look beneath them.
Ganymede is the largest moon in the Solar System and the only moon in solar system to generate its own magnetic field.
Callisto is the second largest of Jupiter's moons.
It will try to understand Jupiter’s origin, history and evolution.
It will analyse the chemistry, structure, dynamics, weather, and climate of Jupiter and its changing atmosphere.
Juice cannot detect life in the water present on Jupiter’s moon.
It can detect the places around Jupiter and icy moons, where the necessary conditions, such as water, biological essential elements, energy, and stability are present to sustain life.
It will detect how the shapes of these moons change over time as the moons move through Jupiter's enormous gravitational field.

Similar missions

The Galileo probe of NASA has orbited Jupiter, the gas giant between 1995 and 2003.
The Juno of NASA has been orbiting the Jupiter since 2016.
The Europa Clipper of NASA will be launched this year to study Jupiter’s Europa moon.

Challenges of the Juice Mission

Jupiter has powerful magnetic field that accelerates the charged particles in its vicinity and creates intense radiation that can degrade spacecraft electronics.
The JUICE spacecraft will receive lesser sunlight than other satellites, due to large size of the planet, making it difficult to produce solar energy to conduct the operation.