The American probe Juno, orbiting Jupiter since 2016, continues its exploration of the Jovian worlds: on September 29, the NASA spacecraft passed 412 kilometers from the moon Europa, at a speed of 24 kilometers per second, taking advantage of this flyby to deliver the most detailed images of the icy surface of the star, illuminated by sunlight reflected from Jupiter. The picture, covering an area of regarding 200 kilometers per side, reveals a series of sometimes double fracture lines. We can also guess darker areas that might be the result of eruptive material having pierced the carapace of ice several kilometers thick which floats above an ocean surrounding the sixth moon of the Solar System – it is 90% of the diameter of our Moon. NASA is planning a dedicated mission to Europe, Europa Clipperwhich is to be launched in October 2024, for an arrival in the vicinity of Jupiter in 2030.
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