Juno Begins Jupiter Orbit

Jen DiMascio July 07, 2016
Credit: NASA /JPL-Caltech

This illustration depicts Juno’s final approach to insertion into Jupiter’s orbit. NASA hit its burn targets within 1 sec.—after a journey of 1.7 billion mi., notes Rick Nybakken, project manager from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The spacecraft was then expected to turn back toward the Sun. Within days, its scientific instruments will be turned on to be able to collect and transmit data back home.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS

Juno obtained this image on June 28 at a distance of 3.9 million mi. (6.2 million km). The spacecraft was also able to grab a video of Jupiter’s moons Europa, Io and Ganymede orbiting the largest planet in the Solar System and bringing to life the revelation made by Galileo Galilei in 1610 that Earth is not the center of the Universe.

Credit: NASA/JPL

The Hubble Space Telescope shot this image of Jupiter and its Great Red Spot, which appears to be shrinking in width.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

A look at Juno and where it was in relation to Jupiter and its moons on July 4, 2016.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

On June 30, Juno sent the command that began the insertion into Jupiter’s orbit. Although the spacecraft was then on autopilot, it will continue to be monitored. Researchers expect the first up-close look at the mysterious planet will take place at the end of August.

Nearly five years after its launch from Cape Canaveral, the Juno spacecraft is now in orbit around Jupiter. Within days, the spacecraft’s nine instruments will be turned on, but the official science collection phase does not start until October. To learn more about Jupiter’s origins, the instruments will look for the existence of a solid planetary core to map the planet’s magnetosphere and gauge the atmosphere.

Jen DiMascio

Based in Washington, Jen previously managed Aviation Week’s worldwide defense, space and security coverage.