The JUICE (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) spacecraft began an eight-year journey to explore Jupiter and its moons on Friday with its launch from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
The 1.6 billion euro European Space Agency (ESA) mission is targeting Europa, Ganymede and Callisto, the three moons concealing vast oceans beyond their icy surfaces that scientists believe could contain life.
Italy is playing a leading role in the mission "with a contribution close to 50 percent of the programme", according to Italian Space Agency (Asi) President Giorgio Saccoccia. The National Institute of Astrophysics (Inaf), numerous universities and industries are taking part.
During its eight-year cruise JUICE will make a series of flybys to gather momentum: of the Earth-Moon system in August 2024, of Venus in August 2025 and of Earth in September 2026 and January 2029. The flyby of the Earth-Moon system will be a world first: by performing this so-called Lunar-Earth gravity assist (LEGA), JUICE will be able to save a significant amount of fuel.
Having entered Jupiter’s orbit in July 2031, JUICE is expected to make as many as 35 flyovers of Europa, Ganymede and Callisto before using the planet’s gravity to guide it into the orbit of Ganymede. For the first time in the history of space exploration a spacecraft will then orbit another planet's moon.
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