Earth gives 'Juno' a massive boost on its way to Jupiter

The European spacecraft “Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer” (JUICE) used Earth’s gravity to adjust its trajectory toward Jupiter, in a precise space maneuver executed last Monday that saved it from consuming large amounts of fuel.

The European Space Agency announced that the spacecraft passed at an altitude of approximately 8,640 kilometers above the Indian Ocean at its closest approach to Earth, which altered its trajectory by about 20 degrees and increased its speed by roughly 3.5 kilometers per second.

This maneuver is part of a series of “gravity assist” operations that the mission relies on to reach the outer solar system more efficiently.

During the flyby, JUICE’s cameras captured real images of Earth, showing vast areas of Africa and the island of Madagascar. The spacecraft also activated its scientific instruments to conduct tests and observations in preparation for its primary mission.

The spacecraft is scheduled to return near Earth in January 2029, before arriving at Jupiter in July 2031, where it will study its icy moons—Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa—to investigate their nature and potential subsurface oceans.