Jupiter-bound spacecraft Juice to fly by Earth Monday
To get to the outer solar system, the Juice spacecraft needs an assist from Earth’s gravity—and it’s going to be taking pictures along the way
On September 28, the European Space Agency's JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE) mission will make a close pass by Earth. This flyby, occurring at 13:45 CEST (07:45 a.m. EST; 04:45 a.m. PST), will see JUICE reach its closest point at 8,640 km (5,370 mi) from our planet. The maneuver represents an important step in JUICE's trajectory, designed to deposit the spacecraft around Jupiter by July 2031.
The first maneuver for JUICE took place on August 19, 2024, with a lunar-Earth flyby, putting the spacecraft on track for Venus. A gravity-assist maneuver with Venus on August 31, 2025, altered JUICE's trajectory, allowing it to gain extra speed.
The upcoming Earth flyby is essential for positioning JUICE on an optimal flight path toward Jupiter. It will also allow the spacecraft to collect valuable data on Earth and the Moon, including measurements of Earth's magnetotail during the flyby. JUICE's navigation camera team will test a new technique to improve navigation accuracy using the Moon's horizon.
Although the flyby poses risks, ESA project scientist Claire Vallat notes that it is less complex than the 2024 lunar-Earth flyby due to the absence of a subsequent Venus flyby. JUICE's onboard monitoring cameras will capture images throughout the flyby, which will be shared on the ESA's website and social media platforms.
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- JUICE Mission to Swing by Earth on September 28 universetoday.com
