Juice spacecraft embarks on pioneering mission to explore Jupiter’s icy moons

The European Space Agency’s (ESA) ambitious Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, known as Juice, is on a remarkable eight-year journey to the gas giant Jupiter, having launched from Earth in April 2023 and scheduled to arrive at its destination in 2031. A significant milestone in its journey occurred this year as Juice completed its closest approach to the Sun and conducted a flyby of Venus, using the planet’s gravity to improve its trajectory toward Jupiter.

The latest installment of “The Journey of Juice” offers insights into both the spacecraft’s progress and the dedicated team of engineers and scientists behind the mission. In a clean room at ESA’s technical center, thermal engineer Romain Peyrou-Lauge showcased the advanced technologies designed to shield Juice from the Sun’s intense heat during this crucial phase of the journey.

In Uppsala, Sweden, a group of scientists gathered for a meeting of the science working team to deliberate on the scientific goals of the mission. Project Scientist Olivier Witasse emphasized the importance of collaboration among team members to ensure optimal data collection once Juice reaches Jupiter.

The video accompanying this segment culminates with operations engineer Marc Costa, who guides viewers to the Cebreros station in Madrid during the Venus flyby. At the station, he introduces Deputy Station Manager Jorge Fauste, Juice intern Charlotte Bergot, and Juice Mission Manager Nicolas Altobelli, showcasing the teamwork in action that’s essential for the success of this groundbreaking mission. This episode is a continuation of a previous series titled “The Making of Juice,” which documented the planning, testing, and launch of this unprecedented exploration endeavor.