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5 clusters · 23 sources · 19 days · First seen · Last updated

ESA JUICE spacecraft completes Earth gravity assist

Overview

The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) mission successfully completed its Earth gravity assist flyby on September 28, 2026.

Passing approximately 8,640 km above the Indian Ocean, the spacecraft utilized Earth’s gravity to achieve a velocity boost of roughly 3.5 km/s and a 20-degree course correction. During the encounter, the probe operated on battery power while passing through Earth’s shadow. This maneuver serves as a vital calibration period for the spacecraft’s ten scientific instruments.

Among the onboard technology is an electromagnetic wave analyzer designed by scientists from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, featuring significant contributions from the Czech space industry. The instrument operates at frequencies convertible to audible sound.

Launched in April 2023, JUICE is a major international collaboration involving 18 research institutes and 83 companies across 23 countries, with hardware contributions from NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Once it reaches the Jupiter system, scheduled for July 2031, the mission aims to investigate whether the icy moons—Ganymede, Europa, and Callisto—possess the ingredients necessary to sustain life, such as liquid water and energy sources. JUICE is slated to become the first spacecraft to orbit a moon other than Earth’s own Moon.

Entities

European Space Agency · Jupiter · Earth · Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer · Institute of Atmospheric Physics

Timeline

  1. [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources
    ESA Juice probe uses Earth gravity assist for Jupiter mission

    ESA's Juice probe used Earth's gravity to adjust its trajectory and increase speed for its mission to Jupiter, utilizing onboard instruments including a wave analyzer developed with Czech scientific expertise.

  2. [TECHNOLOGY] 6 sources
    ESA’s Juice spacecraft completes Earth gravity assist flyby

    ESA’s Juice spacecraft successfully completed an Earth gravity assist flyby on 28 September 2026, boosting its velocity as it journeys to study Jupiter’s icy moons for signs of life.

  3. [TECHNOLOGY] 3 sources
    JUICE spacecraft gains 12,600 km/h boost via Earth gravity-assist

    The ESA’s JUICE spacecraft completed a successful Earth gravity-assist maneuver on September 28, gaining 12,600 km/h in speed to aid its mission to Jupiter.

  4. [TECHNOLOGY] 10 sources
    JUICE spacecraft completes successful Earth flyby for Jupiter mission

    ESA’s JUICE spacecraft successfully completed an Earth flyby on September 28, 2026, using gravity to boost its speed by 3.5 km/s and adjust its trajectory for its 2031 arrival at Jupiter.

  5. [TECHNOLOGY] 5 sources
    ESA Juice spacecraft to perform Earth gravity assist

    The ESA’s Juice spacecraft will perform a gravity assist flyby of Earth on 28 September 2026, passing within 8,640 km to adjust its trajectory and speed for its journey to Jupiter.

Sources

astrobiology.com · astropics.bookbright.co.jp · breezyscroll.com · clubic.com · descopera.ro · forbesliberia.com · friendsofnasa.org · generation-nt.com · globalscience.it · in.mashable.com · kosmonautix.cz · media.inaf.it · merca2.es · newsbytesapp.com · nouvelles-du-monde.com · pozitivni-zpravy.cz · prensalibre.com · rocketnews.com · scientificamerican.com · scinexx.de · siliconrepublic.com · spaceweekly.com · time.news

This summary has been updated 4 times: see revision history