Onboard are 10 scientific instruments, which will investigate whether Jupiter\u2019s three moons \u2013 Callisto, Europa and Ganymede \u2013 can support life in its oceans.<\/p>\n
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Experts from the European Space Agency (ESA) admit the slightest mistake could take the spacecraft off course and mean the end of the mission.<\/p>\n
From around 11.57pm on Monday into the early hours of Tuesday, the agency says a double world first will take place with the lunar-Earth fly-by and the double gravity assist manoeuvre.<\/p>\n
The move will change Juice\u2019s speed and direction to alter its course through space.<\/p>\n
Earth will bend Juice\u2019s trajectory through space, redirecting it on course for a fly-by of Venus in August 2025.<\/p>\n
From then on, energy boosts will begin, with the spacecraft being sped up by Venus and then twice by Earth.<\/p>\n
Some keen stargazers may be able to spot Juice pass overhead, with the spacecraft flying directly over South East Asia and the Pacific Ocean.<\/p>\n
Powerful binoculars or a telescope will give them the best chance of seeing the spacecraft.<\/p>\n
Two cameras on board Juice will be taking photos throughout the lunar-Earth flyby, which will be shared publicly as they are received on Earth.<\/p>\n
The risky manoeuvres are needed because Jupiter is on average 800 million kilometres from Earth.<\/p>\n
Without an enormous rocket, sending Juice straight to the gas giant would require an impossible 60,000kg of onboard propellant.<\/p>\n
The UK Space Agency has invested approximately \u00a39m in Juice, which has scientific instruments including various imaging devices, systems for recording the surface of Jupiter\u2019s moons, and sensors to examine their atmospheres.<\/p>\n
The UK has helped develop two of those instruments and led the construction of another \u2013 the magnetometer (or J-MAG) \u2013 which measures magnetic fields.<\/p>\n
Dr Caroline Harper, head of space science at the UK Space Agency, described the manoeuvre as \u201ctricky\u201d and requiring \u201cincredibly precise navigation\u201d.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cThis is a world first: a double fly-by of the moon and Earth has never been done before\u2026 even a tiny mistake could knock Juice off course\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis saves a huge amount of fuel, which means that when Juice arrives at its destination, it can do a lot more science.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
This post appeared first on sky.com<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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