Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE)

[Rick]

Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) is Europe's Next Large Science Mission

Jupiter's icy moons are the focus of Europe's next large science mission, ESA announced today.

The Jupiter Icy moons Explorer - JUICE - was selected over two other candidates: NGO, the New Gravitational wave Observatory, to hunt for gravitational waves, and ATHENA, the Advanced Telescope for High-Energy Astrophysics.

JUICE is the first Large-class mission chosen as part of ESA's Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 programme.

It will be launched in 2022 from Europe's spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on an Ariane 5, arriving at Jupiter in 2030 to spend at least three years making detailed observations.

More: http://www.esa.int/export/esaCP/SEM9I4QWJ1H_index_0.html

[doug]

That`s a pity..... I think I will miss this exploration of this probe.  Not unless I can crack the centenary thingy.  At least I managed to follow the Mars explorers.  Hope I can watch the latest one dangling from it`s string.......

Doug.

[Rick]

JUICE mission gets green light for next stage of development

Chosen by ESA in May 2012 to be the first large mission within the Cosmic Vision Programme, JUICE is planned to be launched in 2022 and to reach Jupiter in 2030. The mission will tour the giant planet to explore its atmosphere, magnetosphere and tenuous set of rings and will characterise the icy moons Ganymede, Europa and Callisto. Detailed investigations of Ganymede will be performed when JUICE enters into orbit around it – the first time any icy moon has been orbited by a spacecraft. During its lifetime, the mission will give us an unrivalled and in-depth understanding of the Jovian system and of these moons.

More: http://sci.esa.int/juice/55055-juice-mission-gets-green-light-for-next-stage-of-development/

[Rick]

Preparing to build ESA's Jupiter mission

Airbus Defence & Space in France has been selected as the prime industrial contractor for ESA's JUICE mission to Jupiter and its icy moons.

The agency's Industrial Policy Committee approved the award of the €350.8 million contract yesterday. Pending the negotiation of contractual details, this should allow work to start by the end of this month. The formal contract signing will take place after the summer break.

The contract covers the industrial activities for the design, development, integration, test, launch campaign, and in-space commissioning of the spacecraft. The Ariane 5 launch is not included and will be procured later from Arianespace.

The spacecraft will be assembled in Toulouse, France, and many other ESA Member States will also be involved in Europe's first mission to the largest planet in the Solar System.

More: http://sci.esa.int/juice/56165-preparing-to-build-esas-jupiter-mission/