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ESA's Juice Spacecraft Captures Stunning Earth Images During Jupiter Journey
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Moneycontrol•29-09-2026, 12:07
ESA's Juice Spacecraft Captures Stunning Earth Images During Jupiter Journey
- •ESA's Juice spacecraft completed a crucial Earth flyby, passing 8,640 km above the Indian Ocean on September 28, 2026.
- •The maneuver used Earth's gravity to change Juice's trajectory and increase its speed by 3.5 km/s, conserving fuel for its journey to Jupiter.
- •Juice captured images of Africa, Madagascar, and the Moon using its onboard monitoring and navigation cameras.
- •The spacecraft is preparing for another Earth flyby in January 2029, with a planned arrival at Jupiter in July 2031.
- •Juice will study Jupiter and its icy moons Ganymede, Europa, and Callisto to investigate potential hidden oceans and habitable conditions.
Key Questions Answered
The Juice spacecraft used Earth's gravity during its September 28, 2026 flyby to adjust its trajectory by about 20 degrees and boost its speed by roughly 3.5 km per second. This gravity assist helps the spacecraft conserve fuel on its journey to Jupiter.
Juice is scheduled to arrive at Jupiter in July 2031. Before reaching the gas giant, the spacecraft will also perform another Earth flyby in January 2029.
Juice, which stands for Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, is designed to study Jupiter and three of its largest icy moons: Ganymede, Europa, and Callisto. Scientists hope to investigate subsurface oceans and determine whether these distant worlds could harbor conditions capable of supporting life.
