Europe's Juice Mission to Fly by Earth and Moon

The Juice spacecraft, officially known as the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, is poised to execute a groundbreaking double flyby of the Moon and Earth on August 19 and 20, 2023. Launched in April 2023, this mission marks the first instance of a spacecraft utilizing a dual gravity assist maneuver, which will enable it to adjust its trajectory for a subsequent flyby of Venus in August 2025. This intricate maneuvering is crucial for Juice to reach its ultimate destination, Jupiter, and its moons by July 2031. The flyby of the Moon will occur at an altitude of 434 miles (700 kilometers), followed by a close approach to Earth at 4,229 miles (6,807 kilometers). These precision maneuvers are essential, as any miscalculation could jeopardize the mission. The planning for Juice's journey has spanned two decades, emphasizing the complexity and ambition of the project. Gravity assists are a vital technique in space exploration, allowing spacecraft to conserve fuel while optimizing speed and trajectory. Angela Dietz, a Juice Spacecraft Operations Engineer, highlighted the need for precision in executing these gravity assists. Throughout the summer, telescopes and observatories have been monitoring Juice's approach, which appears larger and brighter than expected due to its reflective solar arrays. During the flyby, Juice will activate all ten of its scientific instruments to calibrate them ahead of its arrival at Jupiter. Notably, the Radar for Icy Moons Exploration (RIME) will conduct observations for eight minutes, while other instruments will enter standby mode, providing critical data to address existing noise issues.