On September 29, 2022, NASAs Juno spacecraft captured the complex, ice-covered surface of Jupiters moon Europa throughout a close flyby. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SWRI/ MSSS.
Observations from the Juno spacecrafts close pass of the icy moon provided the very first close-up in over twenty years of this ocean world, leading to impressive imagery and distinct science.
Earth has actually now received the first photo NASAs Juno spacecraft captured as it carried out a close flyby of Jupiters ice-encrusted moon Europa. The image was handled Thursday, September 29, at 2:36 a.m. PDT (5:36 a.m. EDT), at a range of about 219 miles (352 kilometers) throughout the solar-powered spacecrafts closest approach. It exposes surface functions in a region called Annwn Regio near the moons equator.
This is only the 3rd close pass of Europa in history listed below 310 miles (500 kilometers) altitude. It is the closest look any spacecraft has supplied at Europa since NASAs Galileo came within 218 miles (351 kilometers) of the surface in January 3, 2000.
A little smaller sized than Earths moon, Europa is the sixth-largest moon in the solar system. Researchers have uncovered evidence that a salty ocean lies listed below a miles-thick ice shell, triggering concerns about prospective conditions capable of supporting life beneath Europas surface area.
This section of the first image of Europa captured throughout this flyby by the spacecrafts JunoCam zooms in on a swath of Europas surface north of the equator. These include tall shadow-casting blocks, while dark and bright troughs and ridges curve across the surface area.
The complex, ice-covered surface area of Jupiters moon Europa was captured by NASAs Juno spacecraft throughout a flyby on September 29, 2022. At closest method, the spacecraft came within a range of about 219 miles (352 kilometers). Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SWRI/ MSSS.
With this extra data about Europas geology, Junos observations will benefit future objectives to the Jovian moon, consisting of NASAs Europa Clipper. That objective, set to launch in 2024, will study Europas interior, surface area, and atmosphere. Its primary science objective will be to determine whether there are places listed below the moons surface that could support life.
As thrilling as Junos information will be, the spacecraft had only a two-hour window to gather it. At the time it was racing past the moon with a relative velocity of about 14.7 miles per second (23.6 kilometers per second) or 53,000 miles per hour (85,000 kilometers per hour).
” Its extremely early at the same time, but by all indications, Junos flyby of Europa was an excellent success,” said Scott Bolton. He is the Juno principal private investigator from Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. “This very first image is just a glance of the amazing new science to come from Junos whole suite of instruments and sensing units that acquired information as we skimmed the moons icy crust.”.
Throughout the flyby, the mission obtained what will be some of the highest-resolution images of the moon (0.6 miles, or 1 kilometer, per pixel). It also collected important data on Europas ice shell structure, surface composition, interior, and ionosphere. In addition, it collected helpful information on the moons interaction with Jupiters magnetosphere.
” The science group will be comparing the full set of images gotten by Juno with images from previous missions, seeking to see if Europas surface functions have changed over the past 20 years,” stated Candy Hansen. She is a Juno co-investigator who leads planning for the cam at the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Arizona. “The JunoCam images will complete the current geologic map, changing existing low-resolution protection of the location.”.
Junos close-up views and data from its Microwave Radiometer (MWR) instrument, a multi-wavelength microwave radiometer, will offer new details on how the structure of Europas ice varies below its crust. With all this information, scientists will be able to generate new insights into the moon, consisting of information in the look for regions where liquid water may exist in shallow subsurface pockets.
NASAs Europa Clipper objective will build on Junos observations and previous objectives such as Voyager 2 and Galileo. It is set up to arrive at Europa in 2030 and will study the moons surface area, interior, and environment.
The gravitational forces from this close flyby customized Junos trajectory, decreasing the time it takes to orbit Jupiter from 43 to 38 days. The flyby likewise marks the 2nd encounter with a Galilean moon throughout Junos extended objective. The objective explored Ganymede, the largest moon in the planetary system, in June 2021. It is set up to make close flybys of Jupiters inner moon Io, the most volcanic body in the planetary system, in 2023 and 2024.
More About the Mission.
NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, handles the Juno mission for the primary investigator, Scott J. Bolton, of the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. Juno is part of NASAs New Frontiers Program, which is managed at NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for NASAs Science Mission Directorate in Washington. Lockheed Martin Space in Denver built and runs the spacecraft.
Earth has now gotten the first photo NASAs Juno spacecraft captured as it performed a close flyby of Jupiters ice-encrusted moon Europa. The complex, ice-covered surface area of Jupiters moon Europa was recorded by NASAs Juno spacecraft during a flyby on September 29, 2022. With this additional data about Europas geology, Junos observations will benefit future missions to the Jovian moon, including NASAs Europa Clipper.” The science group will be comparing the complete set of images acquired by Juno with images from previous objectives, looking to see if Europas surface features have changed over the past 2 decades,” said Candy Hansen. It is scheduled to show up at Europa in 2030 and will study the moons atmosphere, interior, and surface.