Arianespace Launches Juice Space Probe for ESA

Arianespace launched the JUICE space probe for the European Space Agency (ESA) Friday morning from French Guiana on an Ariane 5 rocket, kicking off Europe’s first mission to Jupiter. This was the second-to-last mission for the heavy-lift Ariane 5. JUICE is now en route to Jupiter. It is due to arrive in 2031 after a series of gravity slingshots from Venus and Earth to propel it on its way. The spacecraft will spend at least three years observing Jupiter’s moons: Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto as potential habitats for life. Airbus Defence and Space built the spacecraft for ESA, and ArianeGroup’s Orbital Propulsion teams built its propulsion system. More

(Source: Via Satellite - Apr 15)