‘Go Ariane 5’ were the last words from commentators as the JUpiter’s ICy Moons Explorer (or JUICE) set to launch from ESA’s satellite-launching system in Kourou, French Guiana, today.
With the final weather check given the go-ahead – meaning no risk of high winds or the lightning that delayed yesterday’s launch – and the irreversible synchronised launch sequence switched on, the Ariane 5 rocket carrying JUICE lifted off at 1:14pm BST on an eight-year mission towards Jupiter.
A "perfect launch"
ESA used gravity to ‘slingshot’ JUICE into its mission trajectory, and despite a tense period as we awaited communication from the craft, JUICE has successfully transmitted its first radio signal to a satellite dish in Western Australia.
Otherwise, “it was a perfect launch” said Stéphane Israël, CEO of Arianespace.
So what happened next?
What happened during JUICE launch:
JUICE will explore Jupiter and three of its icy moons – Ganymede, Callisto and Europa – for signs of life in their deep reservoirs. But this life is unlikely to photosynthesise given Jupiter’s distance from the Sun.
“ESA, with its international partners, is on its way to Jupiter,” says ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher. “JUICE's spectacular launch carries with it the vision and ambition of those who conceived the mission decades ago, the skill and passion of everyone who has built this incredible machine, the drive of our flight operations team, and the curiosity of the global science community. Together, we will keep pushing the boundaries of science and exploration in order to answer humankind’s biggest questions.”
Jupiter as imaged by the James Webb Space Telescope
The satellite will have to combat Jupiter’s large gravitational pull, radiation belt, harsh temperatures, and the incredibly far journey through deep space as part of its mission. It was vital that JUICE was kept incredibly clean ahead of the launch so that on return ESA will be able to determine whether any biological matter present came from Jupiter.
“The treasure trove of data that ESA Juice will provide will enable the science community worldwide to dig in and uncover the mysteries of the jovian system, explore the nature and habitability of oceans on other worlds and answer questions yet unasked by future generations of scientists," says Carole Mundell, ESA’s Director of Science.
Paving the way to future exploration
Before Jupiter, NASA’s Artemis 2 mission will send four humans to orbit moon, including the first woman and first person of colour on a lunar mission, in late 2024. After this, NASA aims to establish Lunar Gateway – a permanent Moon-orbiting space station. The Artemis programme will pave the way towards ambitions to send the first humans to Mars.
Timeline of JUICE mission:
The team behind JUICE
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