ESA JUICE Mission

 

Good luck in the space simulator JUICE, let's hope that it passes all the tests and will be ready for launch.
 
Last stop on Earth at Airbus before odyssey to Jupiter for JUICE

Final integration and test in Toulouse before 2022 launch to meet tight interplanetary schedule
Almost nine year journey for four year mission around Jupiter moons: could there be new life habitats?

Toulouse, 12 August 2021 – The Airbus-built JUICE spacecraft, (JUpiter ICy moons Explorer mission) developed for the European Space Agency (ESA) has arrived in Toulouse, where it will stay for its final assembly and test campaign at Airbus’ satellite integration centre, before being shipped to Kourou in French Guiana for launch on Ariane 5.

After three months of intense activities for thermal vacuum testing in the Large Space Simulator (LSS) chamber at the ESA test centre at ESTEC in Noordwijk, Netherlands, JUICE is back at Airbus, the prime contractor. Unusually, it was transported by air to Toulouse, to save time so that it remains on track to meet the tight interplanetary schedule to reach the Jovian system.

Cyril Cavel, JUICE project Manager at Airbus said on arrival: “It’s the first time I have seen a satellite arriving in Toulouse by plane, which shows the importance of this mission for ESA and the scientific community. Now we at Airbus have to build on the great work of all of our industrial and scientific partners. I can’t wait for this ambitious mission to launch and to see the tremendous progress to human knowledge it will bring – even though we will have to wait almost 10 years, before it arrives at Jupiter!”

Opening of the pressurized protective container and transfer to the clean room has already been completed. Airbus will now finalise the flight configuration assembly including integration of the last instrument units and the largest satellite solar arrays ever to fly for planetary exploration. Last but not least, the environmental tests, including electro-magnetic compatibility (EMC), mechanical, deployment, and propulsion, will continue through until next year in the run up to launch.

The 6.2 ton JUICE spacecraft will set off in 2022 on its near 600 million-kilometre long journey to Jupiter. The spacecraft will carry 10 state-of-the-art scientific instruments, including cameras, spectrometers, an ice-penetrating radar, an altimeter, a radio-science experiment, and sensors to monitor electric and magnetic fields and the plasma environment in the Jovian system. JUICE will complete a unique tour of the Jupiter system that will include in-depth studies of three potentially ocean-bearing moons: Ganymede, Europa and Callisto.

During its four year-long mission, JUICE will collect data to understand the conditions for giant gaseous planet formation and the emergence of deep life habitats. It will spend nine months orbiting the icy moon Ganymede analysing its nature and evolution, characterising its sub-surface ocean, and investigating its potential habitability.

As prime contractor for ESA, Airbus is leading an industrial consortium of more than 80 companies across Europe.

 
Last stop on Earth at Airbus before odyssey to Jupiter for JUICE

Final integration and test in Toulouse before 2022 launch to meet tight interplanetary schedule
Almost nine year journey for four year mission around Jupiter moons: could there be new life habitats?

Toulouse, 12 August 2021 – The Airbus-built JUICE spacecraft, (JUpiter ICy moons Explorer mission) developed for the European Space Agency (ESA) has arrived in Toulouse, where it will stay for its final assembly and test campaign at Airbus’ satellite integration centre, before being shipped to Kourou in French Guiana for launch on Ariane 5.

After three months of intense activities for thermal vacuum testing in the Large Space Simulator (LSS) chamber at the ESA test centre at ESTEC in Noordwijk, Netherlands, JUICE is back at Airbus, the prime contractor. Unusually, it was transported by air to Toulouse, to save time so that it remains on track to meet the tight interplanetary schedule to reach the Jovian system.

Cyril Cavel, JUICE project Manager at Airbus said on arrival: “It’s the first time I have seen a satellite arriving in Toulouse by plane, which shows the importance of this mission for ESA and the scientific community. Now we at Airbus have to build on the great work of all of our industrial and scientific partners. I can’t wait for this ambitious mission to launch and to see the tremendous progress to human knowledge it will bring – even though we will have to wait almost 10 years, before it arrives at Jupiter!”

Opening of the pressurized protective container and transfer to the clean room has already been completed. Airbus will now finalise the flight configuration assembly including integration of the last instrument units and the largest satellite solar arrays ever to fly for planetary exploration. Last but not least, the environmental tests, including electro-magnetic compatibility (EMC), mechanical, deployment, and propulsion, will continue through until next year in the run up to launch.

The 6.2 ton JUICE spacecraft will set off in 2022 on its near 600 million-kilometre long journey to Jupiter. The spacecraft will carry 10 state-of-the-art scientific instruments, including cameras, spectrometers, an ice-penetrating radar, an altimeter, a radio-science experiment, and sensors to monitor electric and magnetic fields and the plasma environment in the Jovian system. JUICE will complete a unique tour of the Jupiter system that will include in-depth studies of three potentially ocean-bearing moons: Ganymede, Europa and Callisto.

During its four year-long mission, JUICE will collect data to understand the conditions for giant gaseous planet formation and the emergence of deep life habitats. It will spend nine months orbiting the icy moon Ganymede analysing its nature and evolution, characterising its sub-surface ocean, and investigating its potential habitability.

As prime contractor for ESA, Airbus is leading an industrial consortium of more than 80 companies across Europe.


Good luck JUICE, let’s hope that it has a safe journey to Jupiter. It will certainly be an interesting mission to watch after all the rumours about the possibility of life Europa.
 
JUICE will be on the final ever Ariane 5 launch in August 2023.
 
ESA JUICE mission's flight plan to Jupiter & its moons

ESA's Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) mission will arrive at the gas giant planet in 2031 and make flybys of its moons Europa, Callisto and Ganymede. See highlights of the flight in this animation.

View: https://youtu.be/SQ6a8wZHhL0
 
JUICE interactive launch kit:

 
Launch set for April 2023.


20 January 2023
Space
Airbus finalises JUICE ready for its mission to Jupiter

Satellite ready to leave Europe before its launch in April

Galileo tribute plaque unveiled in Airbus’ cleanroom and mounted on the spacecraft

ESA’s mission will study Jupiter’s three largest icy moons and the Jovian system’s magnetic fields


Toulouse, 20 January 2023 - The Airbus-built JUICE (JUpiter ICy moons Explorer mission) spacecraft will shortly leave Toulouse, France, for Kourou, French Guiana, for lift-off on an Ariane 5 in April 2023. Shipment is expected in early February.

The spacecraft has been at Airbus in Toulouse since August 2021 for final assembly and test. This included integration of the final instrument units and the largest solar arrays ever to fly on a planetary exploration mission, needed to power the mission at 740 million kilometres from the Sun.

“With JUICE's departure for the launch site fast approaching, we look back at its long Earthly journey through various Airbus sites in Europe towards final integration and involving close to 500 Airbus employees who prepared the spacecraft for its eight-year cruise,” said Cyril Cavel, JUICE Project Manager at Airbus Defence and Space.

“It has been an incredible adventure, along with more than 80 companies across Europe, to bring ESA’s vision to life and ultimately study Jupiter and its icy moons in fine detail.”

Today a commemorative plaque was unveiled during a press event in Toulouse as a tribute to Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei. The plaque has been mounted on the spacecraft to honour Galileo who was the first to view Jupiter and its largest moons through a telescope in 1610.

On its more than 2 billion-kilometre long journey, the 6.2 ton JUICE spacecraft will collect data on the icy moons to try to understand whether there is any possibility that these moons 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, and sensors, the JUICE spacecraft will complete a unique tour of the Jupiter system that will include in-depth studies of three potentially ocean-bearing moons: Ganymede, Europa and Callisto.

During its four year-long mission, JUICE will spend nine months orbiting the icy moon Ganymede analysing its nature and evolution, characterising its subsurface ocean, and investigating its potential habitability.

After being selected by ESA as prime contractor in 2015 Airbus has led a pan European industrial consortium to design and build this unique spacecraft.
 
Launch set for April 2023.


20 January 2023
Space
Airbus finalises JUICE ready for its mission to Jupiter

Satellite ready to leave Europe before its launch in April

Galileo tribute plaque unveiled in Airbus’ cleanroom and mounted on the spacecraft

ESA’s mission will study Jupiter’s three largest icy moons and the Jovian system’s magnetic fields


Toulouse, 20 January 2023 - The Airbus-built JUICE (JUpiter ICy moons Explorer mission) spacecraft will shortly leave Toulouse, France, for Kourou, French Guiana, for lift-off on an Ariane 5 in April 2023. Shipment is expected in early February.

The spacecraft has been at Airbus in Toulouse since August 2021 for final assembly and test. This included integration of the final instrument units and the largest solar arrays ever to fly on a planetary exploration mission, needed to power the mission at 740 million kilometres from the Sun.

“With JUICE's departure for the launch site fast approaching, we look back at its long Earthly journey through various Airbus sites in Europe towards final integration and involving close to 500 Airbus employees who prepared the spacecraft for its eight-year cruise,” said Cyril Cavel, JUICE Project Manager at Airbus Defence and Space.

“It has been an incredible adventure, along with more than 80 companies across Europe, to bring ESA’s vision to life and ultimately study Jupiter and its icy moons in fine detail.”

Today a commemorative plaque was unveiled during a press event in Toulouse as a tribute to Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei. The plaque has been mounted on the spacecraft to honour Galileo who was the first to view Jupiter and its largest moons through a telescope in 1610.

On its more than 2 billion-kilometre long journey, the 6.2 ton JUICE spacecraft will collect data on the icy moons to try to understand whether there is any possibility that these moons 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, and sensors, the JUICE spacecraft will complete a unique tour of the Jupiter system that will include in-depth studies of three potentially ocean-bearing moons: Ganymede, Europa and Callisto.

During its four year-long mission, JUICE will spend nine months orbiting the icy moon Ganymede analysing its nature and evolution, characterising its subsurface ocean, and investigating its potential habitability.

After being selected by ESA as prime contractor in 2015 Airbus has led a pan European industrial consortium to design and build this unique spacecraft.

Go JUICE, looking forward to the launch in April.
 
View: https://twitter.com/airbusspace/status/1623608780066881537


#JUICE’s final take-off before lift-off!
Special delivery later today:
Destination: European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana
Next steps: last preparations before launch on an Ariane 5 in April 2023
Read more: https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/news/2023-02-juices-final-take-off-before-lift-off

How many Ariane 5s does Arianespace have left after the launch of JUICE in April?
 

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