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ESA JUICE spacecraft completes Earth gravity assist

Updated 4 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-10-02 08:42 UTC → 2026-10-11 06:11 UTC · added removed

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 (approximately 12,600 km/h) and a 20-degree course correction. During the encounter, the probe operated on battery power while passing through Earth’s shadow. This maneuver is serves as a vital part of the mission’s strategy to reach the outer Solar System while conserving fuel, following previous gravity assists involving the Moon and Venus. During calibration period for the encounter, JUICE’s spacecraft’s ten scientific instruments were used to collect data and calibrate sensors. The spacecraft captured high-resolution images of instruments. Among the Moon and Earth, including parts onboard technology is an electromagnetic wave analyzer designed by scientists from the Institute of Madagascar and Africa. This flyby places Atmospheric Physics of the spacecraft on a trajectory for another Earth encounter in 2029, as it continues its journey toward Czech Academy of Sciences, featuring significant contributions from the scheduled arrival Czech space industry. The instrument operates at Jupiter in July 2031. 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.

Versions

  1. 2026-10-11 06:11 UTC ESA JUICE spacecraft completes Earth gravity assist
  2. 2026-10-02 08:42 UTC ESA JUICE spacecraft completes Earth gravity assist
  3. 2026-09-30 08:21 UTC ESA JUICE spacecraft completes Earth gravity assist
  4. 2026-09-29 17:22 UTC ESA JUICE spacecraft completes Earth gravity assist
  5. 2026-09-28 05:31 UTC ESA JUICE spacecraft Earth gravity assist

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