NASA's Juno Mission to Jupiter Explained!

The World's Top Space Agency of America NASA launched its Juno Mission to Jupiter on August 5, 2011 to study the atmosphere, gravity, magnetic fields, and moons of Jupiter. Information sent by this spacecraft completely changed scientists' perceptions about the biggest planet in our solar system, Jupiter. This spacecraft was built using top-class mirrors, instruments, and some unique features. Do you know about the number of moons Jupiter has? Do you know about the mysteries of Jupiter that are unsolved yet? In this article, you will learn about NASA's one of the most challenging and amazing missions and our perception of Jupiter. So, be ready to get the knowledge that will blow your mind, as you will get the most amazing facts about Jupiter, the Juno Mission, and the Galileo Mission of Nasa.

Contents:

1. Importance of research on Jupiter
2. NASA's Galileo Mission to Jupiter
3. NASA's Juno Mission to Jupiter
4. Top Discoveries by Juno Spacecraft
5. Summary and FAQ

Importance of research on Jupiter:

We know that Jupiter is the biggest planet in our solar system, which is a gas gaint, which means it is completely made of hydrogen and helium. With its large size, it plays an important role in giving shape to our solar system after the sun. Do you know about the number of moons Jupiter has? The answer will blow your mind. Not 1 or 2 or 50; actually, scientists have found 79 moons orbiting Jupiter yet. The most strange thing is that some moons have subsurface liquids and volcanoes as well. This all makes them a small solar system.

It is possible that life is present on these moons. Jupiter is so big that all the planets, their moons, asteroids, and dwarfs present in our solar system can fit in it, and there will be more than enough empty space inside it. This all makes scientists curious to do research on it and study its evolution, atmosphere, surface, and weird moons. Thus, scientists were using telescopes to study its structure and moons. But they didn't have enough knowledge to completely explain its birth and evolution. That's why many countries tried to study Jupiter with spacecraft, and of course, NASA is number one in doing space missions without any delay. So, let's know about the first NASA space mission to study Jupiter, which was named the Galileo mission to Jupiter.

Image Credit : NASA

NASA's Galileo Mission to Jupiter:

Scientists started gaining knowledge about Jupiter in the 1970s. Which was from Pioneer 10, Pioneer 11, Voyager 1, and Voyager 2 during their flyby. They sent us images and amazing facts about Jupiter, which made scientists more curious to know more about it. In 1989, NASA launched its first Jupiter mission, the Galileo, to study the surface, atmosphere, structure, and moons of Jupiter. This was the first mission to study Jupiter by an orbiting spacecraft. After 6 years, the Galileo Spacecraft entered the orbit of Jupiter and started its work.

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 This spacecraft gave us amazing and shocking facts about Jupiter and its moon. It found subsurface oceans on Europa, volcanoes on IO, the magnetic field of Ganymede, and much more. These details gave scientists a clue that life would be possible on these moons, and it is possible that life is present on these moons now. After working for 8 years, this Galileo spacecraft gave scientists shocking facts while orbiting Jupiter, which completely changed their thinking about Jupiter and its mini solar system of moons. Finally, in 2003, this spacecraft destroyed itself by entering Jupiter's atmosphere.

Do you know about the James Webb Space Telescope? Now scientists needed a spacecraft with more qualities and features to be able to study Jupiter and its moon more accurately and effectively than the Galileo Spacecraft. Thus, as a result, they made a second Jupiter Mission spacecraft and named this mission Juno Mission.

NASA's Juno Mission to Jupiter:

Under the New Frontiers Mission, the Juno Mission was selected on June 9, 2005. At first, its launching date was 2009, but due to budget issues, it was delayed by 2 years. Finally, Juno Space Probe launched on August 5, 2011 with the help of the Atlas V 551 rocket. It was made by Lockheed Martin and operated by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Juno was the first outer solar system orbiting mission, which had three large solar panels for energy. It had nine major instruments: a microwave radiometer, a Jovian infrared acoustic mapper, a magnetometer, gravity science, a Jovian acoustic distribution experiment, a Jovian energetic particle detector, a radio and plasma wave sensor, an ultraviolet spectrograph, and a Juno camera.

 

In October 2013, Juno attempted its last flyby from Earth. The purpose of this flyby was to increase the speed of Juno Spacecraft with the assistance of Earth's gravity. After this flyby, its speed increased from 78,000 miles per hour to 93,000 miles per hour, and after this, it started its long journey to Jupiter. After completing a journey of approximately 2.8 billion kilometers, the Juno Spacecraft entered the orbit of Jupiter on July 5, 2016. After entering Jupiter's orbit, Juno completed its first flyby of Jupiter in August 2016. During the first flyby, the first close approach also took place between Jupiter and Juno, during which the distance between them was only 4200 kilometers.

 

During Juno's 2nd Close Approach in October 2016, something went wrong, due to which it went into Safe Mode 13 hours before the Close Approach. According to the plan, after its second close approach, Juno's trajectory was to be changed by increasing its speed by firing its engine. After successfully carrying out this, Juno's orbital period would have been reduced from 53 days to only 14 days. If it had been successful, Juno Spacecraft could have completed 37 orbital flybys of Jupiter within 20 months.

 

Also read: NASA's Lunar Crater Radio Telescope Explained!

 

But on October 19, due to a fault in its engine, Juno's main engine could not be fired on time. Due to this, it was decided to cancel the 14-day plan and continue with the 53-day plan. Due to a technical glitch in the Juno Spacecraft, instead of 37 orbits, the Juno Spacecraft could complete only 12 orbits of the planet Jupiter within 20 months. But the good thing was that all the instruments were in good condition after getting the extreme radiation and environment of Jupiter. Thus, its life was increased to July 2021.

Top Discoveries by Juno Spacecraft:

Just a month after entering Jupiter orbit, Juno sent us an interesting discovery related to stripes on Jupiter. According to this discovery, these stripes, which have become the identity of Jupiter, are actually spread over a long distance in the atmosphere of the planet Jupiter. In August, Juno Spacecraft sent the first picture of the North Pole of the Jupiter and we also got to see an inside view of the rings of the Jupiter for the first time. The Juno Mission gave us the opportunity to study the Auroras of Jupiter. It also made a historic discovery by finding the internal magnetic field of Jupiter, as we have only found the internal magnetic field on Earth yet. 

It sent us important information about lightening on Jupiter, which helped scientists solve its mysteries. It also clicked amazing pictures of Jupiter's moons. After completing its extended mission in 2021, NASA increased its work life to September 2025. It gave us vital information and pictures of the moons of Jupiter, like IO, Europa, and Ganymede.

 Now it is observing the moons of Jupiter and keeps sending us information and pictures of Jupiter and its moons. NASA has also created a plan to destroy this spacecraft following the completion of the Juno mission, according to which Juno will be de-orbited and transported to the atmosphere of the planet Jupiter, where it will remain for only a few days. Within minutes, it will burn and kill itself. Although this plan was supposed to be implemented as soon as the first mission was completed in 2018, the mission has been extended twice, and it is still believed that Juno will be destroyed under this plan once the mission is completed in 2025.

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Summary and FAQ

You have learned about one of the most amazing and challenging missions performed by humans. The Galileo Mission and the Juno Mission gave us shocking and mind-blowing facts and images of Jupiter and its moons. These great space missions completed by NASA completely changed our perception of Jupiter. Scientists are studying Jupiter consistently and publishing new information about it and its moons. NASA played an important role in giving humans unique facts and images of Jupiter. Here are some questions that could arise in your mind:

 

1. What is the mission of Juno?

To study the atmosphere, structure, and moons of Jupiter.

2. Where did the Juno mission go?

The Juno mission was started to research Jupiter.

3. Who launched the Juno mission?

The Juno mission was launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

4. Was the Juno mission successful?

Yes, this mission gave humankind new and shocking information about Jupiter and its moons.

5. Why has NASA decided to destroy Juno?

To end this amazing space mission.

6.  How does the Juno mission of NASA help to understand?

The Juno mission enhances our understanding of Jupiter's interior structure, atmospheric composition, magnetosphere, and water abundance, shedding light on the planet's formation, evolution, and its role in the solar system.

7.  What is Juno made of?

Juno, NASA's spacecraft studying Jupiter, is primarily made of lightweight materials like titanium and aluminum. Its protective shield is made of a special radiation-resistant material.

8.  What are the interesting facts about the Juno mission?

Launched by NASA in 2011, Juno explores Jupiter's mysteries. Its polar orbit, avoiding intense radiation, allows close-up studies of the giant planet's atmosphere, magnetic field, and interior. Juno's innovative solar panels are the largest ever on a planetary mission, harnessing the Sun's energy in Jupiter's challenging radiation environment.