Defeated almost 3 billion km from the target is hair. Juno probe will try to enter the orbit of Jupiter – TVN Meteo

Solar-powered Juno spacecraft reaches for his five-year voyage – the fifth from the sun, the solar system’s largest planet, Jupiter – NASA announced on its website.

The mission, whose current cost for the amount of 1.1 billion dollars, the probe began in August 2011. On the way, beat nearly 3 billion kilometers.

First after many

Jupiter had already drifted probes – Voyager, Pioneer, Galileo, Ulysses, Cassini and New Horizons, a year ago, in 2015., reached Pluto. Most of them with different objectives, Jupiter passed just over the road. Planet circled the only Galileo, who even introduced in the atmosphere of a probe of the measurement apparatus.

NASA decided that Juno will be orbited Jupiter for a year. During this time, has sent back to Earth pictures, especially the best approximation of the surface of this planet, ever made.

Jupiter Images longer pass Although some probes and the Hubble Space Telescope, but

scientists count that only the best shots will go in their hands. Juno descends closer to the surface and provide detailed images, including polar regions, clouds or aurora logs.

In contrast to the rocky Earth or Mars planet Jupiter is a gas giant, built primarily of hydrogen and helium. Scientists hope that research a lot say about the fundamental processes of formation and early evolution of the solar system.

Critical moment

When Juno doleci to Jupiter, which will take place on Tuesday morning Polish time , the main engine fires and slow down to enter orbit around the planet. The precise maneuver will be mission critical, because if braking is not successful, the distance from the Juno Jupiter. Firing the engine will last about half an hour, so that Juno will enter orbit polar planet.

As the message of the radio signal between Jupiter and the Earth takes 48 minutes, in case of problems mission controllers located in California fail on a regular basis to intervene. They can only wait and listen for signals suggesting that the engine Juno was fired as planned.

– Everything depends on this – emphasized quoted by the agency AP head of a team of researchers from the mission Juno Scott Bolton of Southwest Research Institute Texas.

Great unknown

While space probes reach the vicinity of Jupiter since the 70s, it is still a lot of things is a mystery. Scientists do not know how much is on the water, whether dense core, and why shrinking the Great Red Spot, which is characteristic, a huge permanent anticyclone. Located on Jupiter south of the equator vortex blowing at least several hundred years.

During the Juno mission is to spy on the surface of Jupiter by a thick layer of clouds, crossing 5 thousand. kilometers closer to her than any other probe.

– The aim of the mission is to determine how formed solar systems – explained Bolton during a meeting with the media.

Powered by the Sun

because of the large distance from the Sun existing flights in the vicinity of Jupiter realized with the use of nuclear power. Juno is the first probe, which was heard as far away thanks to solar power. Juno, having more or less the size SUV is equipped with three solar panels like the blades of a windmill. Set so that most of the trip maximize the effect of the sun.

Devices and figures

On board the Juno is nine instruments to investigate Jupiter’s gaseous interior and the turbulent atmosphere. There are also three figurines Lego, representing the Roman god Jupiter, the goddess Juno and Galileo Galilei (Galileo).

When Juno fulfill its tasks in 2018. Finally “dives” in Jupiter’s atmosphere and burn. For details on the mission, visit NASA