2 years ago
114
A NASA probe volition swoop to astir 350 kilometres supra Europa’s aboveground connected 29 September, returning elaborate images and information connected its magnetic fields and icy crust
Space 8 September 2022By Will Gater
The Juno spacecraft volition get a close-up presumption of Europa NASA/JPL-Caltech
NASA’s Juno spacecraft is astir to springiness scientists their closest look astatine Jupiter’s frozen satellite Europa successful much than 22 years.
The ngo volition swoop to astir 350 kilometres supra Europa’s aboveground connected 29 September, returning elaborate images arsenic good arsenic information astir the moon’s magnetic fields and its icy crust.
The past clip a spacecraft got likewise adjacent to Europa was successful January 2000 erstwhile NASA’s Galileo orbiter swung by astatine a region of 351 km.
“We’ve already completed each the preparations. We’re truly excited. Everything is connected target,” says Scott Bolton, the Juno mission’s main investigator.
“Our flyby is alternatively unique. The portion of Europa that we’re going to beryllium capable to spot doesn’t person peculiarly high-resolution information connected it from Galileo, truthful this’ll beryllium the archetypal clip we’ve been capable to spot that [region] astatine precise precocious resolution.”
All of Juno’s technological instruments volition beryllium capturing information during the accelerated pass, says Bolton. Its main camera, JunoCam, volition nutrient a fistful of wide-field views portion its navigation camera, known arsenic the stellar notation unit, volition beryllium tasked with taking a single, precise high-resolution representation of a tiny spot of Europa’s nightside, lit lone by the scattered airy from Jupiter’s unreality tops.
Researchers besides anticipation to usage the flyby to glean insights into Europa’s crystal ammunition utilizing Juno’s microwave radiometer. Bolton likens the instrumentality to a radar device, “except it’s passive, truthful we’re conscionable looking astatine emanation coming retired [from Europa] arsenic opposed to sending a awesome successful and watching it bounce off,” helium says. The radiometer’s information could springiness scientists clues astir the extent of the ammunition and whitethorn uncover if determination are fractured regions, oregon areas of liquid, wrong the frozen crust.
The squad volition adjacent look for signs of the water vapour plumes that caller studies person suggested emanate from Europa, though Bolton stresses that these features “would person to beryllium going disconnected astatine the close clip successful a mode that we tin spot them.”
More connected these topics:
English (US) ·