Topic: [Discuss] Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE)
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 50421 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-12-2023 10:37 PM
Please use this topic to discuss the European Space Agency's Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE), which will seek out habitable environments on the gas giant's three largest satellites, Callisto, Europa and Ganymede.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 50421 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-12-2023 10:39 PM
From the European Space Agency
We're going to Jupiter – and three of its moons! The JUICE spacecraft is now securely fastened to an Ariane 5 rocket and ready for launch.
JUICE, for Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, will explore Jupiter's complex environment in depth after an eight-year journey. Lift-off is expected at 14:15 CEST (8:15 a.m. EDT or 1215 GMT) on Thursday (April 13).
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 50421 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-13-2023 07:12 AM
Scrubbed due to weather. From Arianespace (via Twitter):
Today's Flight VA260 has been delayed due to weather condition (risk of lightning) at the scheduled liftoff time from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana.
The Ariane 5 launch vehicle and its passenger JUICE are in stable and safe condition.
The new targeted launch date is April 14, 2023, at:
08:14 a.m. Washington, D.C. time,
09:14 a.m. Kourou time,
12:14 p.m. Universal time (UTC),
02:14 p.m. Paris time,
12:14 a.m., April 15, Tokyo time.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 50421 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-14-2023 12:00 AM
European Space Agency (ESA) live video
Follow all the action and learn more about the mission in this special programme co-produced by ESA and Arianespace.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 50421 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 04-14-2023 08:06 AM
Successful launch and acquisition of signal with the spacecraft! JUICE has begun its eight-year journey to Jupiter...
Blackarrow Member
Posts: 3594 From: Belfast, United Kingdom Registered: Feb 2002
Juice's ice-penetrating RIME antenna has not yet been deployed as planned. During the first week of commissioning, an issue arose with the 16-metre-long Radar for Icy Moons Exploration (RIME) antenna, which is preventing it from being released from its mounting bracket.
This all sounds horribly familiar. NASA engineers also had "lots of ideas up their sleeves" to free Jupiter-bound Galileo's high gain antenna. Nothing succeeded and at mission-end the antenna was still stubbornly undeployed. I wish the JUICE engineers better luck.
Blackarrow Member
Posts: 3594 From: Belfast, United Kingdom Registered: Feb 2002
posted 05-13-2023 05:28 PM
I am pleasantly surprised, and relieved, to see that the RIME antenna has now fully extended and locked into its correct position. Well done, those engineers!