Lughnasa Waxing Honey Extraction Moon
Though I follow the Great Wheel and feel as bound to this earthome as to my humanity, space exploration, either human or technological, still thrills me. Here’s another huge project, with some pics, a movie and the mission goals from NASA. Can you believe this is happening while we’re alive?
The rocket, the Atlas V, lifts off with the Jupiter probe. This is one big rocket, 19-stories.
Key things to know about Juno (NASA website)
- Spacecraft launched August 5, 2011
- Five-year cruise to Jupiter, arriving July 2016
- Spacecraft will orbit Jupiter for about one year (33 orbits)
- Mission ends with de-orbit into Jupiter
Juno will improve our understanding of our solar system’s beginnings by revealing the origin and evolution of Jupiter.
Specifically, Juno will…
- Determine how much water is in Jupiter’s atmosphere, which helps determine which planet formation theory is correct (or if new theories are needed)
- Look deep into Jupiter’s atmosphere to measure composition, temperature, cloud motions and other properties
- Map Jupiter’s magnetic and gravity fields, revealing the planet’s deep structure
- Explore and study Jupiter’s magnetosphere near the planet’s poles, especially the auroras – Jupiter’s northern and southern lights – providing new insights about how the planet’s enormous magnetic force field affects its atmosphere.