The European Space Agency (ESA) has sent its first probe to Jupiter.It's called Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer
What is known
The launch of JUICE was unique. For its commission, a starting window with a duration of only 1 second was opened. This is due to ESA's desire to minimize fuel waste.
The interplanetary space station was launched inspace by the Airane 5 rocket. 29 minutes after launch, the probe separated and started the process of deploying 10 solar panels with sides of 2.5x 3.5 meters each. The total area is 85 square meters. meters. The JUICE probe weighs 2400 kg and almost 6000 kg including fuel.
The station is equipped with sounding instrumentsJANUS, MAJIS, UVS, SWI, GALA laser altimeter, RIME echo sounder, 3GM radio engineering experiment, J-MAG magnetometer, RPWI radio and plasma wave instrument, and PEP particle medium instrument.
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JUICE will perform several gravity maneuversaround the Earth and one around Venus. This is necessary to get acceleration. At the end of 2030 or at the beginning of 2031, the station will begin operation. In the summer of 2031, it will enter the orbit of the gas giant, where it will remain for four years. In 2035, JUICE will leave Jupiter's orbit and eventually crash into a moon called Ganymede.
The purpose of the mission is to search for life on icesatellites of the largest planet in the solar system. They are called Ganymede, Europa and Callisto. Scientists believe that under the ice there may be oceans with liquid water, where biological life can exist. In particular, there may be more water on Europa than on our planet.