JUICE – Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer

The 1st large-class mission within ESA’s Cosmic Vision Program

Launch Date: 14 April 2023
Mission Duration: 12 years
Mission Operator: ESA
Location: Jupiter
Arrival to Jupiter: July 2031

 

Mission Objective

Conduct a study of three of the Galilean moons of Jupiter – Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa. The study will refer to the moons as both planetary entities and possible habitats. Furthermore, the study will involve an in-depth exploration of Jupiter’s environment and its system, serving as a prototype for gas giants throughout the Universe.

 

Mission Significance

  • The Galilean moons are the four largest moons of Jupiter.
  • These three moons, in particular, are believed to contain substantial liquid water reservoirs beneath their icy exteriors, suggesting the possibility of habitable environments.

Source: ESA

Mission Components

Jupiter lacks a solid surface. It consists mainly of swirling gases and liquids, making it impossible to land rovers or spacecraft on the planet. Therefore, the spacecraft’s design and payload are planned accordingly.

The JUICE spacecraft is a 3-axis stabilized platform.

Power subsystem: Solar Array

  • Included: two wings of five panels each.
  • The total surface area of the solar array: 85
  • Amount of energy provided: 820

(At Jupiter under end-of-life conditions)

  • Additional energy storage capabilities: Li-ion battery.

Telemetry system: High Gain Antenna

  • Significance: routine operations, safe mode, and radio science investigations
  • How: X and Ka-bands
  • Diameter: 2.5
  • Amount of scientific data per day: 1.4Gbits

 

Propulsion System: Bi-Propellant Main Engine

  • Included: set of 10 thrusters
  • Main Goal: include the Jupiter and Ganymede orbit insertion.

Source: ESA

Methodology Overview & Instruments

JUICE will use a range of instruments, including remote sensing and in situ tools, to conduct detailed observations of Jupiter and its three major ocean-bearing moons.

Number of instruments: 10

Name: JANUS MAJIS UVS
Instrument: Camera system Moons and Jupiter Imaging Spectrometer UV imaging Spectrograph
Research objectives: û  Global and local morphology and processes on the moons

û  Cloud mapping on Jupiter

 

 û  Observation of tropospheric cloud features

û  Characterization of ice and minerals on the moons’ surfaces.

 û  Characterization of the exospheres of the moons

û  The Jovian aurora

û  Investigation of the upper atmosphere.
Name: SWI GALA RIME
Instrument: Sub-millimeter Wave Instrument GAnymede Laser Altimeter Radar for Icy Moons Exploration
Research objectives: û  Study various characteristics of Jupiter’s stratosphere and troposphere

 

 û  Study of the tidal deformation of Ganymede

û  Study the morphology and topography of moons’ surfaces.

 û  Study the subsurface structure of the moons (9km depth and 50m vertical resolution).

 

 

 

Name: J-MAG PEP RPWI GM-3
Instrument: A magnetometer for JUICE Particle Environment Package Radio & Plasma Wave Investigation Gravity & Geophysics of Jupiter and Galilean Moons
Research objectives: û  Characterization of the Jovian magnetic field and its interaction

û  The subsurface oceans of the moons.

 û  Characterization of the plasma environment in the Jovian system.

 

 û  Characterization of the radio emission and plasma environment of Jupiter and its moons

 

 û  Study the gravity field at Ganymede and of the moons.

 

 TIMELINE

Visualization of JUICE’s journey

 

Where is JUICE now? Click here to find out!

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ACKTAR PARTS:

Coating: Substrate: Instrument:
Fractal Black

Magic Black

 

 Aluminum

Molybdenum

Titanium

 3GM

PEP

RPWI

JANUS

SWI