On April 4th, 2023, the European Space Agency launched the Ariane Flight VA260 carrying the JUICE mission to the outer Solar System. The JUICE mission is a cornerstone mission of ESA’s Cosmic Vision Program and the first of its kind to explore Jupiter and its four Galilean moons. This mission will provide us with unprecedented insight into the origins and evolution of the Solar System.

The JUICE mission will spend three and a half years in Jupiter’s orbit, using its suite of nine instruments to study the planet’s atmosphere, magnetosphere and its four Galilean moons. It will also search for new moons and asteroidal material, and use gravity measurements to study the interior structure of the planets and moons. The mission will also look for potential signs of life on the icy moons.

This is a historic mission and a huge leap forward in our understanding of the outer Solar System. With the launch of Ariane Flight VA260, the JUICE mission is officially underway and we are eager to see what discoveries lie ahead.

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source: Phys.org