ESA mission will study Jupiter and its icy moons
@ESA_JUICE @Esascience @AirbusSpace @ariane5 @arianespace @arianeGroup #SpaceMatters #Science #SpaceExploration #ExploreFarther #ESAJuice #Jupiter
Kourou, 14 April 2023 – At 14:00 UTC today, JUICE (JUpiter ICy moons Explorer) spread its wings following the Ariane 5 successful lift-off two hours earlier. The ESA spacecraft operations team at the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany, took control of the spacecraft and confirmed reception of the first telemetry and the smooth deployment of the solar arrays. The Airbus-built JUICE is now officially on its way to Jupiter!
“After years of work, watching this launch live from our sites across Europe was a very emotional moment for all those who have worked on this incredible mission. This is the best of Europe coming together!” said Michael Schöllhorn, CEO Airbus Defence and Space from Kourou. “I’m eager to see the next big thing coming from the European space community.“
JUICE: a European shared success
Bringing together 80 partners across 23 countries and harnessing the brainpower of 2,000+ people, Airbus has designed and built JUICE under contract to the European Space Agency (ESA).
On its over 5 billion kilometre long journey, the 6.2 tonne JUICE spacecraft will make a series of flybys of Callisto, Ganymede and Europa, collecting data to try to understand whether there is any possibility that the moons and their subsurface oceans could host microbial life. Carrying 10 state-of-the-art scientific instruments, including cameras, spectrometers, an ice-penetrating radar, an altimeter, a radio-science experiment, a particle package and various magnetic and electric field sensors, the JUICE spacecraft will complete a unique 4-year tour of the Jupiter system.
JUICE is due to arrive at Jupiter in 2031 after a series of gravity slingshots from Venus and Earth to propel it on its way.
Airbus has a long legacy of supporting the European Space Agency with all its interplanetary missions. These missions present unique challenges which require pushing space technologies to the limit, and JUICE is no exception, with the largest solar arrays ever built for a science mission.
Your contact
Ralph Heinrich
Head of External Communications - Airbus Space Systems
Phone:
+49 171 304 9751
ralph.heinrich@airbus.com
Jeremy Close
External Communications - Airbus Space Systems, UK
Phone:
+44 776 653 6572
jeremy.close@airbus.com
Guilhem Boltz
Airbus Defence and Space
+33 6 34 78 14 08
guilhem.g.boltz@airbus.com
Jesus Francisco Lechon
Airbus Defence and Space
+34 630 196 993
francisco.lechon@airbus.com
