ESA's JUICE spacecraft flies by Venus on its way to Jupiter's icy moons

image via Space.com

August 31, 2025, 12:00 PM

• •The JUICE spacecraft, after a Venus flyby, is en route to the Jupiter system.
• •It aims to study Jupiter and its icy moons, potentially harboring life.
• •The mission employs gravitational slingshots for fuel efficiency, with Earth flybys in 2026 and 2029.
• •JUICE is expected to arrive in orbit around Jupiter in July 2031.

The JUICE spacecraft, designed to explore Jupiter and its icy moons, recently completed a flyby of Venus as part of its fuel-efficient journey. This mission, managed by the European Space Agency (ESA), uses gravitational assists to reach the Jovian system, with multiple flybys planned. The primary objective is to gather data on Jupiter and its moons, particularly those believed to have subsurface oceans, potentially harboring life. The spacecraft will make further passes near Earth before arriving at Jupiter, culminating in its orbit around the gas giant in July 2031.

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