They say the shortest length between two point is a unbowed seam , but for JUICE — a European Space Agency - led , Jupiter - bound investigation scheduled to establish in 2022 — the speedy route will involve a rather convoluted journey requiring four gravitative assists with three different planets .
Announcedback in 2012 , theJupiter Icy Moons Explorer , or succus , is gear up to launch in June 2022 from Kourou in French Guiana . The spacecraft will arrive at Jupiter after a seven year journey , where for 3.5 years its 10 state - of - the - nontextual matter instruments will explore the throttle goliath ’s riotous atmosphere , enormous magnetosphere , its closely - inconspicuous rings , and its satellites . At the closing of the mission , succus will enter into the orbital cavity of Ganymede , and become the first spacecraft to revolve a natural satellite other than the Earth ’s synodic month .
JUICE represents Europe ’s first mission to Jupiter , or any of the Solar System ’s outer planet for that matter . presently , NASA ’s Juno quad probe is revolve Jupiter , but it ’s focusing exclusively on the flatulency behemoth , scanning the satellite ’s composition , gravitational force field , magnetic subject area , and magnetosophere . JUICE will also study Jupiter ’s atmosphere , but it ’s also run to take a look at its icy moon — Ganymede , Europa and Callisto . These lunar month are thought to harbour subsurface sea — and possibly even habitable environments .
But before any of this pioneering geographic expedition work can happen , JUICE is going to have to make a series of tricky maneuvers to get there .
Remarkably , JUICE ’s journey will imply three planets and four gravitational assist — including two from Earth . The video recording above shows the journey , where the orbit of Venus is shown in yellow , Earth in gullible , and Mars in redness . Here ’s the investigation ’s cosmic itinerarycourtesy the ESA :
The first Earth flyby will be at a distance of 12,700 kilometre ( 7,890 nautical mile ) in May 2023
succus will aviate past Venus at a space of 9,500 km ( 5,900 air mile ) in October 2023
The next Earth flyby will be the closest , at 1,950 km ( 1,210 mile ) in September 2024
JUICE will fly preceding Mars at a distance of 1,100 kilometer ( 680 miles ) in February 2025
The last flyby will be 3,700 km ( 2,300 mile ) from Earth in November 2026
Once JUICE arrive at the Jovian system ( in October 2029 ) , it will have to perform even more gravitative assists , but these moon - to - moon aid ( as many as 25 ! ) , involve Ganymede and Callisto , are project to slow down and tailor the orbiter .
[ ESA ]
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