Time-lapse video unveils historic Lunar-Earth brief encounter
The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE), in an incredible cosmic ballet, accomplished a double world flyby, offering stunning views of our Moon and Earth during a speedy trip through the inner solar system.
The European Space Agency (ESA) revealed captivating footage from JUICE's lunar-Earth flyby, propelling the spacecraft toward Venus on its way to the Jovian system. The 1.5-minute video illustrates JUICE's approach to the Moon and its departure from the cratered lunar surface, plunging into the void before the blue Earth emerges in the frame.
On August 19-20, JUICE executed a daring maneuver, leveraging the gravitational pull of the Moon and Earth to chart a course towards Venus. "The gravity assist flyby unfolded without a hitch, and we were overjoyed to witness JUICE coming so close to Earth," Ignacio Tanco, JUICE's spacecraft operations manager, noted in a statement.
The footage was captured by JUICE's two monitoring cameras, tailored to keep an eye on the spacecraft's booms and antennas. This lunar-Earth flyby also presented an opportunity for ground control to test JUICE's scientific instruments, with all ten of them activated during the lunar flyby, and eight switching on during the Earth flyby.
"The timing and location of this double flyby allow us to meticulously investigate the behavior of Juice's instruments," Claire Vallat, JUICE operations scientist, stated. "It occurs early enough in Juice's journey that we can use the data to prepare the instruments for arrival at Jupiter. And given how well we understand the physical properties of Earth, the Moon, and the surrounding space environment, it's the perfect location to grasp how the instruments respond to a real target."
JUICE embarks on an eight-year mission to Jupiter to scrutinize its icy moons for indications of habitability. By employing the gravitational force of the Moon and Earth, JUICE fine-tuned its speed and trajectory, with the lunar flyby increasing the spacecraft's speed by 0.5 miles per second (0.9 km/s) relative to the Sun, guiding it towards Earth. After its close encounter with Earth, JUICE's speed was decreased by 2.9 miles per second (4.8 km/s) relative to the Sun, steering it towards a new trajectory towards Venus.
The spacecraft will encounter Venus in August 2025 before returning to Earth. Subsequently, JUICE will undergo two more flybys around its home planet, one in September 2026 and another in January 2029. JUICE's movements throughout the solar system are strategically designed to position it correctly and attain the necessary speed to enter Jupiter's orbit in 2031.
JUICE blasted off in April 2023 from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. Just hours after liftoff, the spacecraft captured the first moments of its 12-year adventure, dedicated to studying three of Jupiter's icy moons: Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.
Further Reading: JUICE spacecraft Takes Final Glance at Earth as it Heads for Jupiter
A little-known detail: JUICE's journey also involves additional gravity-assist flybys. Before reaching Jupiter, JUICE will perform one flyby at Mars and one at Venus, followed by three flybys around Earth. These flybys are crucial to adjust JUICE's trajectory and attain the necessary speed to arrive at Jupiter smoothly.
- "The captivating footage from JUICE's lunar-Earth flyby, revealing stunning views of our Moon and Earth, is a testament to the power of technology in space exploration."
- "The daring maneuver executed by JUICE on August 19-20, using the gravitational pull of the Moon and Earth, signifies a significant step forward in our understanding of space science and maneuvers."
- "The JUICE mission, an eight-year journey to Jupiter, will not only study the icy moons for signs of habitability but also test the response of JUICE's instruments in different solar environments."
- "As JUICE embarks on its 12-year adventure, it will pass by various planets, including Venus and Earth, using their gravitational forces to fine-tune its trajectory, a thrilling prospect that underscores the synergy between science, space, and the future of exploration."
