Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer

JUpiter ICy moons Explorer

Artist's impression of the JUICE spacecraft
Mission type	Planetary science
Operator	ESA
Mission duration	7.6 years cruise; 3.5 years in the Jovian system.
Spacecraft properties
Manufacturer	Airbus Defence and Space
Power	Solar array of about 100 m2
Start of mission
Launch date	2022
Rocket	Ariane 5 ECA
Launch site	Guiana Space Centre ELA-3
Jupiter orbiter
Orbital insertion	2030
Ganymede orbiter
Orbital insertion	2033
Instruments GALA GAnymede Laser Altimeter JANUS Jovis, Amorum ac Natorum Undique Scrutator J-MAG JUICE MAGnetometer MAJIS Moons And Jupiter Imaging Spectrometer PEP Particle Environment Package PRIDE Planetary Radio Interferometer & Doppler Experiment RIME Radar for Icy Moons Exploration RPWI Radio & Plasma Wave Investigation SWI Sub-millimeter Wave Instrument UVS UV imaging Spectrograph 3GM Gravity & Geophysics of jupiter and Galilean Moons
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The JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE) is a planned European Space Agency (ESA) spacecraft designed by Airbus Defence and Space to visit the Jovian system, focused on studying three of Jupiter's Galilean moons: Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa (excluding the more volcanically active Io). It will characterise these three worlds, all of which are thought to have significant bodies of liquid water beneath their surfaces, making them potentially habitable environments. The selection of this mission for the L1 launch slot of ESA's Cosmic Vision science programme was announced on 2 May 2012.

The mission started as a reformulation of the Jupiter Ganymede Orbiter proposal, which was to be ESA's component of the cancelled Europa Jupiter System Mission—Laplace (EJSM-Laplace). It became a candidate for the first L-class mission (L1) of the ESA Cosmic Vision Programme, and its selection was announced on 2 May 2012. In April 2012 JUICE was recommended over the proposed ATHENA X-ray telescope and a gravitational wave observatory (New Gravitational wave Observatory (NGO)). In July 2015, Airbus Defence and Space was selected as the Prime Contractor to design and build the probe.

A proposed timeline is launch in 2022 on an Ariane 5 carrier rocket and arrival at the Jupiter system in 2030. By 2033 the spacecraft should enter orbit around Ganymede, after completing various manoeuvres around Jupiter and the other moons. Proposed instruments include cameras, spectrometers, and an ice-penetrating radar.