Juice Mission Achieves Historic Lunar-Earth Gravity Assist

The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE), launched on April 14, 2023, has successfully completed the first-ever lunar-earth gravity assist maneuver, a milestone in its journey to Jupiter. This technique utilizes the gravitational forces of both the Moon and Earth to provide extra velocity and thrust, enabling a more efficient route to Jupiter. This innovative approach, a first for any space mission, is a significant breakthrough for the JUICE mission. The mission’s primary objective is to investigate Jupiter’s icy moons, particularly Europa, which is believed to harbor a vast subsurface ocean. JUICE will also study the other Galilean moons, Ganymede, Callisto, and Io, to better understand the complexities of Jupiter’s magnetic field, radiation, and interactions with its satellites.