JUICE (spacecraft)

JUICE (spacecraft)
Name	JUICE
Mission type	Jupiter orbiter
Operator	European Space Agency
COSPAR ID	2023-068A
SATCAT	56784
Mission duration	Planned: 4 years (science phase), Elapsed: 14 April 2023 (since launch)
Spacecraft	JUICE
Manufacturer	Airbus Defence and Space
Launch mass	5,963 kg (13,146 lb)
Dry mass	2,420 kg (5,340 lb)
Power	820 watts
Launch date	14 April 2023, 12:14 UTC
Launch rocket	Ariane 5 ECA (VA260)
Launch site	Guiana Space Centre, Kourou
Orbit reference	Jupiter

JUICE (spacecraft). The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) is a European Space Agency (ESA) mission designed to conduct detailed observations of the gas giant Jupiter and its three large, potentially ocean-bearing moons: Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa. As the first large-class mission in ESA's Cosmic Vision program, it aims to characterize these worlds as planetary objects and potential habitats. The mission will culminate in an orbital tour of Ganymede, marking the first time a spacecraft has orbited a moon other than Earth's own Moon.

Overview

The JUICE mission was selected by the European Space Agency in 2012 as the first Large-class mission within its Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 framework. The spacecraft was built by a consortium led by Airbus Defence and Space, with major contributions from numerous ESA member states and scientific institutions. Its primary goal is to explore the Jupiter system as an archetype for gas giants across the Milky Way, with a particular focus on the complex, icy moons that may harbor subsurface oceans. The mission represents a significant European endeavor in planetary science, following in the footsteps of previous missions like NASA's Galileo and Juno.

Mission objectives

The overarching scientific objectives of JUICE are to investigate the emergence of habitable worlds around gas giants and to study the Jupiter system as a model for exoplanet systems. Key goals include characterizing the subsurface oceans of Ganymede, Europa, and Callisto to assess their potential habitability. The mission will also perform a comprehensive study of Jupiter's complex atmosphere and magnetosphere, and analyze the interactions between the planet and its diverse moons. Understanding the conditions that could support life in these icy environments is a central theme.

Spacecraft design

The JUICE spacecraft is a 5.2-tonne, solar-powered probe designed to withstand the extreme radiation environment of the Jupiter system. Its structure is based on a central cylinder, with large sun-tracking solar panels providing over 800 watts of power even at Jupiter's distance from the Sun. For thermal control in the cold outer Solar System, it employs multi-layer insulation and heaters. The spacecraft utilizes a large 2.5-meter high-gain antenna for communications with the European Space Operations Centre via the Deep Space Network. Propulsion is provided by a bipropellant system, with the main engine used for critical maneuvers like the Jupiter orbit insertion.

Scientific instruments

JUICE carries a sophisticated suite of ten scientific instruments to conduct remote sensing, geophysical, and in-situ measurements. The payload includes the **JANUS** optical camera system, the **MAJIS** visible and infrared imaging spectrometer, and the **UVS** ultraviolet spectrograph for surface and atmospheric studies. For subsurface and interior investigations, it carries the **RIME** ice-penetrating radar and the **3GM** radio science package. The **PEP** particle environment package, the **RPWI** radio and plasma wave instrument, and the **J-MAG** magnetometer will analyze the complex plasma and field environment. The **GALA** laser altimeter and the **PRIDE** VLBI experiment complete the suite.

Launch and trajectory

JUICE was successfully launched on 14 April 2023 aboard an Ariane 5 rocket from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana. Its trajectory to Jupiter involves a series of gravity assist maneuvers to gain the necessary energy. These include an Earth-Moon flyby in 2024, a flyby of Venus in 2025, and two additional flybys of Earth in 2026 and 2029. The spacecraft will also perform a flyby of the asteroid 223 Rosa in 2029. Following this interplanetary cruise, JUICE is scheduled to arrive at Jupiter and perform its critical Jupiter orbit insertion maneuver in July 2031.

Planned operations at Jupiter

Upon arrival at Jupiter in 2031, JUICE will enter a complex tour of the Jupiter system, making numerous flybys of Callisto and Europa while orbiting within the vast magnetosphere. The tour is designed to set up the mission's final and most ambitious phase: an orbit around Ganymede. Starting in late 2034, JUICE will become the first spacecraft to orbit a moon in the outer Solar System, conducting detailed mapping and characterization of Ganymede's surface, interior, and tenuous exosphere. The mission is planned to end with an impact onto Ganymede's surface in 2035.

Category:European Space Agency spacecraft Category:Jupiter spacecraft Category:Spacecraft launched in 2023