Space probe “Juice” completes flyby of the moon and Earth
Published: Wednesday, Aug 21st 2024, 11:10
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According to the European Space Agency Esa, the first flyby of a satellite by the moon and Earth has been a success. The maneuver put the "Juice" space probe on the right trajectory, Esa announced on Wednesday.
"It went better than planned," said the head of the Esa control center in Darmstadt (Germany), Simon Plum.
The aim of the flyby was to change the trajectory of "Juice" in space by using the gravity of the moon and then the earth to change the speed and direction of the spacecraft. Before approaching the Earth, "Juice" had flown past the Earth's satellite at an altitude of around 750 kilometers. The orbiter is now on its way into the interior of the solar system to Venus.
"Delicate manoeuvre"
The maneuver saved the mission around 100 to 150 kilograms of fuel and could now fly closer to Jupiter's moon Ganymede than originally planned. Alternatively, according to Plum, the mission could be extended.
"It's a very delicate maneuver," Peter Wurz, who was involved in the mission, told the Keystone-SDA news agency in the run-up to the maneuver. Wurz is Director of the Institute of Physics at the University of Bern.
Under his leadership, a measuring device for the "Juice" mission was developed and built in Bern. The slightest error could have thrown "Juice" off course and ended the mission.
Probe to be at Jupiter from 2031
After years of travel, "Juice" is to take a close look at Jupiter's moons Europa, Callisto and Ganymede from 2031. Experts believe that there is water under a kilometer-thick layer of ice on the moons - and therefore also possible conditions for life. The mission to the gas giant Jupiter is expected to last from 2031 to 2035.
In addition to the University of Bern, the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) and the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) are also involved in the Juice mission from Switzerland.
©Keystone/SDA
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