The Jupiter exploring mission from the European Space Agency was launched in 2023 from Kourou. The satellite is making its way to Jupiter carrying several instruments that will help scientists and engineers understand the Jovian planet. As anticipated in one of the last articles from the blog in 2023 (check it out!), here will discuss a bit of every single one of them.
Divided into in-situ, remote sensing, geophysical instruments, there is:
- JANUS (Jovis, Amorum ac Natorum Undique Scrutator) is a high-resolution visible camera, will capture regional and local features on the moon and clouds from Jupiter.
- MAJIS (Moons and Jupiter Imaging Spectrometer) is an infrared spectrometer that will capture cloud and atmospheric properties on Jupiter, characterizing ice and minerals on the moon.
- UVS (Ultraviolet Spectrograph) is an imaging spectrograph in the ultraviolet range that will characterize the exospheres of the icy moons, observe interaction with solar wind, study Jupiter’s aurorae to understand its magnetosphere and related phenomena, and characterize the upper atmosphere of Jupiter (temperature, density, composition).
- SWI (sub-millimeter wave instrument) will study the composition, temperature and atmosphere of Jupiter and its moons, specifically the gas distribution in its atmosphere, the temperature profile in its atmosphere and thermal emissions from the surfaces.
- RIME (Radar for Icy Moons Exploration) is a radar system to study the subsurface of the icy moons to around 9 km depth. This will help to understand and map the composition of the moon’s crust, layers, variations, and roughness.
- GALA (Ganymede Laser Altimeter) as the name specifies, it’s a laser altimeter to study Jupiter’s largest moon. It will characterize its tidal deformation, surface roughness, craters dimensions, tectonic characteristics and map its topography.
- 3GM (Gravity & Geophysics of Jupiter and Galilean Moons) is one of the experiments of JUICE and is a package of instruments with a Ka transponder, an ultrastable oscillator and a High Accuracy Accelerometer. This experiment will perform a gravity field mapping with high precision which will help to understand the mass distribution in Jupiter and its moons (also any changes of mass), the tidal interactions and data to perform precise gravity assist maneuvers.
- J-MAG (Jupiter Magnetometer) is a magnetometer that will characterize the magnetic fields in Jupiter and its moons by performing a mapping, analyzing interaction between the magnetic field and solar wind. It will have a special focus on Ganymede, due to its known intrinsic magnetic field.
- PEP (Particle Environment Package) is a package of sensors to characterize the plasma environment (charged particles, composition, processes, etc.) on the planet and its moons.
- RPWI (Radio and Plasma Wave Investigation) will study radio emissions, plasma waves, ionospheric sounding and auroral processes in Jupiter and its moons.
- PRIDE (Planetary Radio Interferometer and Doppler Experiment) will perform precise measurements of the spacecraft’s position and velocity to get more information about the gravity fields in Jupiter and its moons.
- RADEM (Radiation Monitor) will track how much radiation the satellite is exposed while making particle flux measurements, energetic particles levels and long-term monitoring to assess the risks in the planet in terms of radiation.
All the instruments will allow us to have a detailed view of Jupiter and its icy moons, Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa. They will unveil the mysteries of Jupiter, its environment and even give us information of possible life on the planet (now or in the past).