{"id":26465,"date":"2023-04-13T12:36:03","date_gmt":"2023-04-13T10:36:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sciencefocus.com\/?p=141502"},"modified":"2023-04-13T13:37:14","modified_gmt":"2023-04-13T11:37:14","slug":"the-juice-mission-launch-is-just-hours-away-this-is-where-you-can-watch-it","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/rss_feed\/the-juice-mission-launch-is-just-hours-away-this-is-where-you-can-watch-it\/","title":{"rendered":"The JUICE mission launch is just hours away \u2013 this is where you can watch it"},"content":{"rendered":"

The mission ends in 2039 so don\u2019t hold your breath for a sixteen-year livestream. <\/p>

By Noa Leach\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Thursday, 13 April 2023 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

Three moons of Jupiter: Ganymede, Callisto and Europa \u00a9 NASA\/JPLHeralded as the European Space Agency (ESA)\u2019s most ambitious mission yet, the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) mission<\/a> will launch today, 13 April.<\/p>\n

The satellite will begin its eight-year journey through deep space to reach Jupiter, where it will search for life on the gas giant\u2019s moons for another eight years.<\/p>\n

So where can you watch it? At 12:45pm BST, a livestream will start on ESA Web TV<\/a>. Lift-off is expected at 1:15pm BST \u2013 weather permitting.<\/p>\n

You can also watch on YouTube, where the ESA Web TV is constantly streaming<\/a> or on the livestream below.<\/p>\n\n<p>The livestream will see ESA presenters observing the launch right up until confirmation that the spacecraft has deployed its solar arrays, which will expand out from the satellite\u2019s body like wings, at around 2:55pm.<\/p>\n<p>Any questions? If there is anything you would like to learn more about, you can ask using #AskESA on social media.<\/p>\n<h2>What is JUICE?<\/h2>\n<p>The JUICE mission is ESA-led with engineering support from NASA and JAXA that has been in the making for over a decade. It aims to make detailed observations of Jupiter and three of its moons \u2013 Ganymede, Callisto and Europa \u2013 over an eight-year period.<\/p>\n<p>It is the first \u2018Large-class\u2019 mission in ESA\u2019s Cosmic Vision Programme.<\/p>\n<p>Using remote sensing, geophysical and <em>in situ<\/em> instruments, JUICE will learn more about the potential for these sites for past or present life.<\/p>\n<h2>What kind of life is it hoping to find?<\/h2>\n<p>The deep reservoirs on Jupiter\u2019s moons have been identified as one of the most likely places that life might exist beyond Earth.<\/p>\n<p>But \u2018life\u2019 here doesn\u2019t mean green, sticky-fingered and googly-eyed monsters \u2013 or even bizarre reservoir-dwelling fish. The mission is instead searching for the possibilities of microbial life: tiny microorganisms that includes bacteria, viruses, <a href=\""https:\/\/www.sciencefocus.com\/nature\/fungi\/"\">fungi<\/a> and algae.<\/p>\n<p>Given its distance from <a href=\""https:\/\/www.sciencefocus.com\/space\/the-sun\/"\">the Sun<\/a>, whatever life there might be on Jupiter or its moons is unlikely to <a href=\""https:\/\/www.sciencefocus.com\/nature\/how-does-photosynthesis-work\/"\">photosynthesise<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Where will JUICE launch from?<\/h2>\n<p>The satellite will launch from Kourou, French Guiana, where there is an ESA satellite-launching system.<\/p>\n<p>The 6,200 kilogram satellite will be launched form the Ariane 5 rocket \u2013 the same that launched NASA\u2019s <a href=\""https:\/\/www.sciencefocus.com\/space\/james-webb-space-telescope\/"\">James Webb Telescope<\/a>. After launching, it is expected to separate from Ariane 5 at 1:42pm BST.<\/p>\n<p>The earliest time ESA expects to receive a signal from JUICE is 1:51pm BST.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\""twitter-tweet"\" data-dnt=\""true"\"><p lang=\""en"\" dir=\""ltr"\">\ud83d\udcfd\ufe0f From integration to rollout to the launch pad, here’s what <a href=\""https:\/\/twitter.com\/ariane5?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"\">@ariane5<\/a> <a href=\""https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/VA260?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"\">#VA260<\/a> and <a href=\""https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/ESAJuice?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"\">#ESAJuice<\/a> have been up to during the past two days.<a href=\""https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/DestinationJupiter?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"\">#DestinationJupiter<\/a> <a href=\""https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/ExploreFarther?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"\">#ExploreFarther<\/a> <a href=\""https:\/\/t.co\/9ncreBfwHq"\">pic.twitter.com\/9ncreBfwHq<\/a><\/p>\u2014 ESA’s Juice mission (@ESA_JUICE) <a href=\""https:\/\/twitter.com\/ESA_JUICE\/status\/1646405582063009793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"\">April 13, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote><script async=\"\" src=\""https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js"\" charset=\""utf-8"\"\/><p>While the timings might vary with the weather, JUICE has a tight launch schedule. So that the satellite can launch into the correct trajectory, the celestial bodies of Venus, the Earth and our Moon must be aligned. This only happens twice a year, in April and August \u2013 giving ESA no more than a one second launch window.<\/p>\n<p>Though there are a handful of other opportunities to launch this month if today\u2019s attempt doesn\u2019t go to plan, ESA will have to wait until August if it fails to launch JUICE in April.<\/p>\n<h2>What happens next?<\/h2>\n<p>For the mission\u2019s first two and a half weeks, the satellite will deploy its antennas and instruments. ESA will report on these via its <a href=\"\/\/twitter.com\/ESA_JUICE"\" target=\""_blank"\" rel=\""noopener" noopener noreferrer\">Twitter feed<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The first <a href=\""https:\/\/www.sciencefocus.com\/space\/gravity\/"\">gravity-assist<\/a> flybys won\u2019t take place until August 2024, when the satellite will conduct a \u2018lunar-Earth gravity-assist\u2019: a flyby of the Moon followed by one of the Earth one and a half days later.<\/p>\n<p>This is the first of four JUICE gravity-assist flybys in the inner Solar System, which will also include one of Venus. ESA says these flybys will help to \u2018slingshot\u2019 the satellite to Jupiter by increasing its speed and changing trajectory.<\/p>\n<h2>What will the mission involve?<\/h2>\n<p>After the first lunar flyby in August 2024, JUICE will fly past Venus a year later, in August 2025. The third flyby returns to Earth in September 2026, with the fourth and final flyby also whizzing past Earth in January 2029.<\/p>\n<div class=\""image-handler__container\" image-handler__container--aspect=\"\" style=\""padding-bottom:\" calc=\"\"> <picture><source media=\""(max-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/4\/2023\/04\/Jupiter-Moons-bdf80b7.jpg?webp=true&quality=90&crop=8px%2C5px%2C1185px%2C789px&resize=300%2C199,\" https:=\"\" type=\""image\/webp"\"><source media=\""(max-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/4\/2023\/04\/Jupiter-Moons-bdf80b7.jpg?quality=90&crop=8px%2C5px%2C1185px%2C789px&resize=300%2C199,\" https:=\"\" type=\""image\/jpeg"\"><source media=\""(max-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/4\/2023\/04\/Jupiter-Moons-bdf80b7.jpg?webp=true&quality=90&crop=8px%2C5px%2C1185px%2C789px&resize=355%2C236,\" https:=\"\" type=\""image\/webp"\"><source media=\""(max-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/4\/2023\/04\/Jupiter-Moons-bdf80b7.jpg?quality=90&crop=8px%2C5px%2C1185px%2C789px&resize=355%2C236,\" https:=\"\" type=\""image\/jpeg"\"><source media=\""(max-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/4\/2023\/04\/Jupiter-Moons-bdf80b7.jpg?webp=true&quality=90&crop=8px%2C5px%2C1185px%2C789px&resize=405%2C269,\" https:=\"\" type=\""image\/webp"\"><source media=\""(max-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/4\/2023\/04\/Jupiter-Moons-bdf80b7.jpg?quality=90&crop=8px%2C5px%2C1185px%2C789px&resize=405%2C269,\" https:=\"\" type=\""image\/jpeg"\"><source media=\""(max-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/4\/2023\/04\/Jupiter-Moons-bdf80b7.jpg?webp=true&quality=90&crop=8px%2C5px%2C1185px%2C789px&resize=554%2C369,\" https:=\"\" type=\""image\/webp"\"><source media=\""(max-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/4\/2023\/04\/Jupiter-Moons-bdf80b7.jpg?quality=90&crop=8px%2C5px%2C1185px%2C789px&resize=554%2C369,\" https:=\"\" type=\""image\/jpeg"\"><source media=\""(min-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/4\/2023\/04\/Jupiter-Moons-bdf80b7.jpg?webp=true&quality=90&crop=8px%2C5px%2C1185px%2C789px&resize=620%2C413"\" type=\""image\/webp"\"><source media=\""(min-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/4\/2023\/04\/Jupiter-Moons-bdf80b7.jpg?quality=90&crop=8px%2C5px%2C1185px%2C789px&resize=620%2C413"\" type=\""image\/jpeg"\"><source media=\""(min-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/4\/2023\/04\/Jupiter-Moons-bdf80b7.jpg?webp=true&quality=90&crop=8px%2C5px%2C1185px%2C789px&resize=408%2C271,\" https:=\"\" type=\""image\/webp"\"><source media=\""(min-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/4\/2023\/04\/Jupiter-Moons-bdf80b7.jpg?quality=90&crop=8px%2C5px%2C1185px%2C789px&resize=408%2C271,\" https:=\"\" type=\""image\/jpeg"\"><source media=\""(min-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/4\/2023\/04\/Jupiter-Moons-bdf80b7.jpg?webp=true&quality=90&crop=8px%2C5px%2C1185px%2C789px&resize=556%2C370,\" https:=\"\" type=\""image\/webp"\"><source media=\""(min-width:\" data-srcset=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/4\/2023\/04\/Jupiter-Moons-bdf80b7.jpg?quality=90&crop=8px%2C5px%2C1185px%2C789px&resize=556%2C370,\" https:=\"\" type=\""image\/jpeg"\"><img data-crop-width=\""1185"\" data-crop-height=\""789"\" class=\""wp-image-141515\" align=\"\" size-landscape_thumbnail=\"\" image-handler__image=\"\" image-handler__image--aspect=\"\" no-wrap=\"\" js-lazyload=\"\" data-src=\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/4\/2023\/04\/Jupiter-Moons-bdf80b7.jpg?quality=90&crop=8px%2C5px%2C1185px%2C789px&resize=620%2C413"\" width=\""620"\" height=\""413"\" alt=\"""\" title=\"""\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div><div class=\""caption-hold"\"><figcaption class=\""wp-caption-text"\"><span class=\""caption-copy"\"><i class=\""icon-arrow\" icon-camera-circle=\"\"\/> Three moons of Jupiter: Ganymede, Callisto and Europa \u00a9 NASA\/JPL<\/span><\/figcaption><span class=\""im-image-caption"\"\/><\/div>\n<p>The ETA of JUICE to Jupiter\u2019s orbit is July 2031 \u2013 though NASA\u2019s Europa Clipper mission to Jupiter, which launches in 2024, will beat them to it. Europa Clipper is set to arrive by 2030 by taking a shorter route.<\/p>\n<p>Once JUICE reaches Jupiter, the satellite will conduct 35 flybys of three of the planet\u2019s moons while orbiting the gas giant.<\/p>\n<p>It will then go into orbit around Ganymede \u2013 the largest of Jupiter\u2019s moons, of which there are over 80. This is due to take place in 2034 and marks the first time a spacecraft has been stationed at a moon other than Earth\u2019s.<\/p>\n<p>The mission will end in 2039.<\/p>\n<h2>Will there be any toys on board?<\/h2>\n<p>Unlike NASA\u2019s <a href=\""https:\/\/www.sciencefocus.com\/space\/artemis\/"\">Artemis 1<\/a> launch of the \u2018uncrewed\u2019 Orion capsule which hosted <a href=\""https:\/\/www.sciencefocus.com\/space\/shaun-the-sheep-will-soon-become-the-first-sheep-in-space\/"\">Shaun the Sheep (donated to ESA by Aardman)<\/a>, Snoopy and four LEGO figures, it is not clear whether the JUICE mission has any quirky additions hidden aboard.<\/p>\n<p>However, ESA does have a <a href=\"\/\/www.esa.int\/About_Us\/Branding_and_Partnerships\/Working_together_to_make_a_difference"\" target=\""_blank"\" rel=\""noopener" noopener noreferrer\">joint partnership with PLAYMOBIL<\/a> which supports the work of UNICEF \u2013 so if they are going to launch another toy into space it could be one of those.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Read more:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul><li><a href=\""https:\/\/www.sciencefocus.com\/space\/esa-juice-mission\/"\">JUICE: What secrets lie beneath the icy surface of Jupiter\u2019s moons?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\""https:\/\/www.sciencefocus.com\/space\/instant-genius-podcast-space-weather-with-sean-elvidge\/"\">Instant Genius Podcast: Space weather, with Sean Elvidge<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\""https:\/\/www.sciencefocus.com\/news\/nasas-juno-spacecraft-probes-the-depths-of-jupiters-great-red-spot\/"\">NASA\u2019s Juno spacecraft probes the depths of Jupiter\u2019s Great Red Spot<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul> <\/body><\/html>\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p> The mission ends in 2039 so don\u2019t hold your breath for a sixteen-year livestream. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":26466,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"5"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2023\/04\/the-juice-mission-launch-is-just-hours-away-this-is-where-you-can-watch-it.jpg",1200,518,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2023\/04\/the-juice-mission-launch-is-just-hours-away-this-is-where-you-can-watch-it-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2023\/04\/the-juice-mission-launch-is-just-hours-away-this-is-where-you-can-watch-it-300x130.jpg",300,130,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2023\/04\/the-juice-mission-launch-is-just-hours-away-this-is-where-you-can-watch-it-768x332.jpg",768,332,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2023\/04\/the-juice-mission-launch-is-just-hours-away-this-is-where-you-can-watch-it-1024x442.jpg",800,345,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2023\/04\/the-juice-mission-launch-is-just-hours-away-this-is-where-you-can-watch-it.jpg",1200,518,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2023\/04\/the-juice-mission-launch-is-just-hours-away-this-is-where-you-can-watch-it.jpg",1200,518,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"The mission ends in 2039 so don\u2019t hold your breath for a sixteen-year livestream.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/26465"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26466"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26465"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26465"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}