On August 19, 2024, Europe’s JUICE (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) spacecraft achieved a notable milestone in area exploration by performing a gravity help flyby of the Moon. The probe got here inside 465 miles (750 kilometres) of the lunar floor, capturing pictures of this vital encounter. This manoeuvre is the primary a part of an unprecedented double gravity help mission, with the second leg set to happen when JUICE flies previous Earth.
Historic Flyby Captured in Photographs
The JUICE spacecraft, which was launched in April 2023, goals to check Jupiter and its main moons: Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa. These moons are believed to harbour subsurface oceans, making them prime targets for exploration. The Moon flyby was essential for JUICE’s trajectory, serving to to fine-tune its path in direction of a future Venus encounter in 2025. This collection of manoeuvres will in the end set the probe on a course for Jupiter, with an arrival deliberate for July 2031.
Photograph Credit score: ESA
The spacecraft’s cameras, designed primarily for monitoring the deployment of its photo voltaic arrays and scientific devices, supplied uncooked pictures of the Moon. These pictures had been shared reside by the European House Company (ESA), showcasing JUICE’s shut strategy and the Moon’s rugged terrain.
Strategic Manoeuvre for Environment friendly Journey
JUICE’s flybys are a strategic alternative to avoid wasting time and gasoline. The gravity help from the Moon and Earth, adopted by the Venus flyby, will optimize the spacecraft’s journey to Jupiter. Based on Ignacio Tanco, JUICE spacecraft operations supervisor, this strategy successfully “brakes” the spacecraft, lowering the quantity of propellant wanted in comparison with conventional engine burns.
Throughout its Earth flyby, JUICE will come inside about 4,250 miles (6,840 kilometres) of our planet. Whereas there shall be no reside feed for this encounter as a result of communication constraints, beginner astronomers in areas reminiscent of Alaska may catch a glimpse of the probe via a telescope. The profitable execution of those manoeuvres underscores Europe’s rising capabilities in area exploration and highlights the intricate planning behind interplanetary missions.
