This next week will mark a clinically important accomplishment for NASAs Juno objective, as the pioneering spacecraft is slated to fly within 358 kilometers (222 miles) of Jupiters icy moon Europa on September 29 at 5:36 a.m. EDT (2:36 a.m. PDT) as part of its prolonged objective to explore the Jupiter system. A flyby this near to Europas surface area will allow Juno to get some of the highest-resolution images ever taken of the icy moon. For context, the last objective to explore Europa in depth was NASAs Galileo spacecraft, which got within 351 kilometers (218 miles) of the surface on January 3, 2000.
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False color mosaic of Europa taken by the Galileo spacecraft throughout its very first and fourteenth orbits in the Jupiter system, in 1995 and 1998, respectively. (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SETI Institute).
High-resolution images arent the only goal, as Juno is anticipated to collect information regarding Europas ionosphere, interior, surface structure, and the moons interaction with Jupiters magnetosphere. All this brand-new information about Europa could be helpful for future objectives, to include NASAs Europa Clipper, which is currently set up to release in October 2024 and get to Jupiter in April 2030.
” Europa is such an intriguing Jovian moon, it is the focus of its own future NASA objective,” stated Dr. Scott Bolton of the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, and the Principal Investigator of the Juno objective. “Were pleased to offer data that might help the Europa Clipper group with objective preparation, in addition to offer new scientific insights into this icy world.”.
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In addition to gathering valuable scientific data during the close flyby, Junos trajectory will also be modified, reducing the variety of days the spacecraft takes to orbit Jupiter from 43 to 38. This flyby will also make Europa the second Galilean satellite to be explored by Juno throughout its prolonged objective, with the very first being Ganymede in June 2021, and is likewise slated to make close flybys of Io in 2023 and 2024.
While the most important images and data will undoubtedly take place at closest approach, Juno will begin collecting information about an hour earlier when the spacecraft is within 83,397 kilometers (51,820 miles) of the icy moon.
” The relative velocity in between spacecraft and moon will be 14.7 miles per 2nd (23.6 kilometers per second), so we are yelling by quite quick,” stated Dr. John Bordi, Juno deputy objective manager at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. “All actions have to go like clockwork to successfully get our prepared data, because right after the flyby is total, the spacecraft requires to be reoriented for our upcoming close method of Jupiter, which takes place just 7 1/2 hours later.”.
Juno brings a myriad of scientific instruments that have been used while checking out Jupiter, and they will all be active during this close flyby of Europa to collect as much data as possible about the icy world. This consists of the Waves, Jovian Auroral Distributions Experiment (JADE) and Magnetometer (MAG) instruments browsing for possible water plumes above Europas surface area.
” We have the ideal equipment to do the job, however to capture a plume will need a great deal of luck,” said Dr. Bolton. “We have to be at the ideal place at just the correct time, however if we are so lucky, its a home run for sure.”.
Junos Microwave Radiometer (MWR) instrument will obtain information on the structure and temperature level of Europas water-ice crust, which marks the very first time such information on Europas icy shell has been gathered.
When gotten back on Earth, the Juno science group will contrast them with images from past objectives, searching for distinctions in Europas surface functions that may have transpired within the last 2 decades. As stated, all this new information will assist the upcoming Europa Clipper objective, as that spacecraft is slated to make 50 flybys of Europa when it gets here at Jupiter in April 2030.
Artists rendition of Europa Clipper above Jupiters moon Europa. (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech).
What new findings will Juno teach us about this Europas icy shell and the moon overall? Well understand soon enough, and this is why we science!
As constantly, keep doing science & & keep searching for!
Featured Image: Jupiters moon Europa taken by the Juno spacecrafts JunoCam on October 16, 2021, from around 82,000 kilometers (51,000 miles). (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Southwest Research Institute/Malin Space Science Systems).
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To top it off, Junos JunoCam will attempt to take 4 visible-light images of Europa throughout the close flyby with an anticipated resolution of 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) per pixel. As soon as gotten back on Earth, the Juno science team will contrast them with images from past missions, browsing for distinctions in Europas surface functions that might have transpired within the last two decades. As specified, all this brand-new data will help the upcoming Europa Clipper mission, as that spacecraft is slated to make 50 flybys of Europa when it shows up at Jupiter in April 2030.
A flyby this close to Europas surface area will enable Juno to obtain some of the highest-resolution images ever taken of the icy moon. For context, the last mission to check out Europa in depth was NASAs Galileo spacecraft, which got within 351 kilometers (218 miles) of the surface on January 3, 2000.
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