NASA's Juno spacecraft

NASA's Juno spacecraft
Name	NASA's Juno spacecraft
Operator	NASA

Contents

NASA's Juno spacecraft is a spacecraft designed and built by Lockheed Martin for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to study the planet Jupiter. The mission is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) with SwRI providing the JunoCam instrument. The spacecraft was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on August 5, 2011, aboard an Atlas V rocket provided by United Launch Alliance (ULA).

Introduction

The Juno spacecraft is part of NASA's New Frontiers program, which includes other missions such as New Horizons to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt, and OSIRIS-REx to Bennu. The Juno mission is a collaboration between NASA, Lockheed Martin, JPL, and SwRI, with international partners including the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). The spacecraft is named after the Roman goddess Juno, who was the wife of Jupiter in Roman mythology. The mission has involved scientists from Harvard University, University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Colorado Boulder.

The Juno spacecraft is designed to withstand the harsh radiation environment around Jupiter, with a radiation-hardened computer and electronics. The spacecraft is powered by solar panels provided by Emcore Corporation and has a high-gain antenna for communication with Earth. The spacecraft also carries a suite of instruments, including the JunoCam provided by Malin Space Science Systems, the MAG magnetometer provided by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, and the Waves instrument provided by the University of Iowa. The spacecraft was designed and built by Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Denver, Colorado, with support from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and the European Space Agency (ESA).

The primary mission objectives of the Juno spacecraft are to study the atmosphere and magnetosphere of Jupiter, and to understand the planet's formation and evolution. The spacecraft will also study the Jupiter's magnetic field, aurorae, and ring system. The mission will provide insights into the formation of the solar system and the origin of life on Earth. The Juno mission has involved collaboration with scientists from the University of Oxford, California Institute of Technology (Caltech), and the University of Arizona.

The Juno spacecraft was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on August 5, 2011, aboard an Atlas V rocket provided by United Launch Alliance (ULA). The spacecraft followed a gravity assist trajectory, flying by Earth on October 9, 2013, to gain speed and momentum for its journey to Jupiter. The spacecraft entered Jupiter's orbit on July 4, 2016, and has been orbiting the planet since then. The spacecraft has also flown by the Jupiter's moons, including Io, Europa, and Ganymede.

The Juno spacecraft has made several scientific discoveries since its arrival at Jupiter in 2016. The spacecraft has discovered a massive storm system at the north pole of Jupiter, and has studied the planet's magnetic field and aurorae. The spacecraft has also studied the Jupiter's ring system and has provided insights into the formation and evolution of the solar system. The mission has involved scientists from the University of Cambridge, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and the University of Texas at Austin.

The Juno spacecraft is currently in orbit around Jupiter and is continuing to study the planet's atmosphere and magnetosphere. The spacecraft has been operating for over 5 years and has exceeded its planned mission lifetime. The spacecraft is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and is controlled by a team of engineers and scientists from NASA, Lockheed Martin, and other partner organizations. The mission has also involved collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA), the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), and the Italian Space Agency (ASI). Category:Space exploration