Europe’s JUICE spacecraft captures high-resolution views of Earth and Moon on its way to Jupiter

The spacecraft captured these views as it flew close to our planet to use Earth’s gravity to reorient itself toward the next stop on its eight-year journey to the Jupiter system.

The JUICE spacecraft is set to launch toward the gas giant in April 2023, however, the spacecraft’s path to Jupiter is circuitous, including visits to Earth and Venus first.

These visits aim to use gravity to create enough speed for JUICE to propel itself from the inner solar system with minimal fuel toward a rendezvous with Jupiter in July 2031.

JUICE’s first visit above Earth took place on August 20, while the spacecraft had a close encounter with the Moon the day before (August 19).

ESA scientists have released the first videos of these visits to Earth and the Moon, captured by the spacecraft’s science camera, called JANUS.

Once JUICE reaches the Jovian system, it will peer at Jupiter and its moons. So the flyby of Earth and its moon was an important test of the capabilities of the JANUS camera.

The JANUS camera provided high-resolution images as JUICE flew by Earth and the Moon, promising similar-resolution images of Venus, as well as Jupiter and its icy moons once it enters the Jovian system in 2031.

JUICE’s encounter with Venus in August 2025 will propel the spacecraft to meet Earth two more times, in September 2026 and January 2029, at which point JUICE will receive its final push toward Jupiter.

Source: Space

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2024-08-29 13:49:09