Payload

     

    The JUICE spacecraft will carry a powerful remote sensing, geophysical, and in situ payload complement.

    The payload consists of 10 state-of-the-art instruments plus one experiment that uses the spacecraft telecommunication system with ground-based instruments. This payload is capable of addressing all of the mission's science goals, from in situ measurements of Jupiter's atmosphere and plasma environment, to remote observations of the surface and interior of the three icy moons, Ganymede, Europa and Callisto.

    A remote sensing package includes imaging (JANUS) and spectral-imaging capabilities from the ultraviolet to the sub-millimetre wavelengths (MAJIS, UVS, SWI). A geophysical package consists of a laser altimeter (GALA) and a radar sounder (RIME) for exploring the surface and subsurface of the moons, and a radio science experiment (3GM) to probe the atmospheres of Jupiter and its satellites and to perform measurements of the gravity fields. An in situ package comprises a powerful package to study the particle environment (PEP), a magnetometer (J-MAG) and a radio and plasma wave instrument (RPWI), including electric fields sensors and a Langmuir probe. An experiment (PRIDE) using ground-based very-long-baseline interferometry will provide precise determination of the spacecraft position and velocity.

    JUICE's instruments. Credit: ESA/ATG medialab

     

    The table below lists the JUICE experiments, their primary science contribution and key characteristics.

    JUICE Payload
    JANUS - Camera system
    An optical camera to study global, regional and local morphology and processes on the moons, and to perform mapping of the clouds on Jupiter. JANUS will have 13 filters, a 1.3 degree field of view, and spatial resolution up to 2.4 m on Ganymede and about 10 km at Jupiter.
    Principal Investigator: P. Palumbo, Università degli Studi di Napoli "Parthenope", Italy
    Co-Principal Investigator: T. Roatsch, DLR, Institut für Planetenforschung, Germany
    Lead Funding Agency: ASI, Italy
     
    MAJIS - Moons and Jupiter Imaging Spectrometer
    A hyper-spectral imaging spectrometer for observing tropospheric cloud features and minor species on Jupiter and for the characterisation of ices and minerals on the surfaces of icy moons. MAJIS will cover the visible and infrared wavelengths from 0.4 to 5.7 microns, with spectral resolution of 3-7 nm. The spatial resolution will be up to 25 m on Ganymede and about 100 km on Jupiter.
    Principal Investigator: F. Poulet, Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale, France
    Co-Principal Investigator: G. Piccioni, INAF/IAPS, Rome, Italy
    Lead Funding Agency: CNES, France
     
    UVS - UV imaging Spectrograph
    A UV spectrometer to characterise the composition and dynamics of the exospheres of the icy moons, to study the Jovian aurorae, and to investigate the composition and structure of the upper atmosphere. The instrument will perform both nadir observations and solar and stellar occultation sounding. UVS will cover the wavelength range 55-210 nm with spectral resolution of <0.6 nm. Spatial resolution will reach 0.5 km at Ganymede and up to 250 km at Jupiter.
    Principal Investigator: R. Gladstone, Southwest Research Institute, USA
    Lead Funding Agency: NASA, USA
     
    SWI - Sub-millimeter Wave Instrument
    A sub-millimeter wave instrument to investigate the temperature structure, composition and dynamics of Jupiter's stratosphere and troposphere, and the exospheres and surfaces of the icy moons. SWI is a heterodyne spectrometer using a 29 cm antenna and working in two spectral ranges 1080-1275 GHz and 530-601 GHz with spectral resolving power of ~107.
    Principal Investigator: P. Hartogh, Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, Germany
    Lead Funding Agency: DLR, Germany
     
    GALA - GAnymede Laser Altimeter
    A laser altimeter for studying the tidal deformation of Ganymede and the morphology and topography of the surfaces of the icy moons. GALA will have a 40 m spot size and 0.1 m vertical resolution at 200 km.
    Principal Investigator: H. Hussmann, DLR, Institut für Planetenforschung, Germany
    Lead Funding Agency: DLR, Germany
     
    RIME - Radar for Icy Moons Exploration
    An ice penetrating radar to study the subsurface structure of the icy moons down to 9 km depth with vertical resolution of up to 50 m in ice. RIME will work at a central frequency of 9 MHz (1 and 3 MHz bandwidth) and will use a 16 m antenna.
    Principal Investigator: L. Bruzzone, Università degli Studi di Trento, Italy
    Co-Principal Investigator: J.J. Plaut, JPL, USA
    Lead Funding Agency: ASI, Italy
     
    J-MAG - A magnetometer for JUICE
    A magnetometer to characterise the Jovian magnetic field, its interaction with the internal magnetic field of Ganymede, and to study subsurface oceans of the icy moons. The instrument will use fluxgates (inbound and outbound) sensors mounted on a boom.
    Principal Investigator: M. Dougherty, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
    Lead Funding Agency: UKSA, United Kingdom
     
    PEP - Particle Environment Package
    A plasma package with sensors to characterise the plasma environment in the Jovian system. PEP will measure density and fluxes of positive and negative ions, electrons, exospheric neutral gas, thermal plasma and energetic neutral atoms in the energy range from <0.001 eV to >1 MeV with full angular coverage. The composition of the moons' exospheres will be measured with a resolving power of more than 1000.
    Principal Investigator: S. Barabash, Swedish Institute of Space Physics (Institutet för rymdfysik, IRF), Kiruna, Sweden
    Co-Principal Investigator: P. Wurz, Universität Bern, Switzerland
    US Co-lead: P. C. Brandt, JHU-APL, USA
    Lead Funding Agency: SNSB, Sweden
     
    RPWI - Radio & Plasma Wave Investigation
    A radio plasma wave instrument to characterise the radio emission and plasma environment of Jupiter and its icy moons. RPWI will be based on four experiments, GANDALF, MIME, FRODO, and JENRAGE. It will use a set of sensors, including two Langmuir probes to measure DC electric field vectors up to a frequency of 1.6 MHz and to characterize thermal plasma and medium- and high-frequency receivers, and antennas to measure electric and magnetic fields in radio emission in the frequency range 80 kHz- 45 MHz.
    Principal Investigator: J.-E. Wahlund, Swedish Institute of Space Physics (Institutet för rymdfysik, IRF), Uppsala, Sweden
    Co-Principal Investigators: B. Cecconi, LESIA-Observatoire de Paris, France
      H. Rothkaehl, Space Research Centre of the Polish
    Academy of Sciences, Poland
      I. Müller-Wodarg, Imperial College, UK
      Y. Kasaba, Tohoku University, Japan
      O. Santolik, Institute of Atmospheric Physic, Czech Republic
    Lead Funding Agency: SNSB, Sweden
     
    3GM - Gravity & Geophysics of Jupiter and Galilean Moons
    A radio science package comprising a Ka transponder and an ultrastable oscillator. 3GM will be used to study the gravity field - up to degree 10 - at Ganymede and the extent of internal oceans on the icy moons, and to investigate the structure of the neutral atmospheres and ionospheres of Jupiter (0.1 - 800 mbar) and its moons.
    Principal Investigator: L. Iess, Università di Roma "La Sapienza", Italy
    Co-Principal Investigators: Y. Kaspi, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel
      D. J. Stevenson, California Institute of Technology, USA
    Lead Funding Agency: ASI, Italy; ISA, Israel Space Agency
     
    PRIDE - Planetary Radio Interferometer & Doppler Experiment
    PRIDE will use the standard telecommunication system of the JUICE spacecraft and VLBI - Very Long Baseline Interferometry - to perform precise measurements of the spacecraft position and velocity to investigate the gravity fields of Jupiter and the icy moons.
    Principal Investigator: L. Gurvits, Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe, The Netherlands
    Lead Funding Agency: NWO and NSO, The Netherlands

     

    JUICE spacecraft and payload activities

    This page provides a quick status reports on the spacecraft and payload activities.

     

    launch

    JUICE was lifted into space by Ariane5 (flight VA260) at 12:14:29 UTC on the 14th of April 2023. After a nominal ascent of 28 minutes, the spacecraft was separated from the launcher at 12:42:17 UTC.

     

    Deployment status

    14 April: Solar panels
    15 April: Medium Gain Antenna
    21 April: Magnetometer boom
    12 May: Radar antenna (both sides)
    22 May: Langmuir probe #4 (RPWI instrument)
    23 May: Radio waves antennas from the RPWI instrument, located on the magnetometer boom
    24 May: Langmuir probe #2 (RPWI instrument)
    25 May: Langmuir probe #3 (RPWI instrument)
    26 May: Langmuir probe #1 (RPWI instrument)

     

    Commissioning status

     

    Instruments  NECP
    (Open / On-going / Completed)    		 NECP
    Start date    		 NECP
    End date
    MAJIS Completed 02/06/2023 02/06/2023
    SWI Completed 25/04/2023 11/07/2023
    GALA Completed 15/05/2023 15/05/2023
    RPWI Completed 19/04/2023 30/05/2023
    SCM Completed 19/04/2023 21/04/2023
    LP Completed 22/05/2023 26/05/2023
    RWI Completed 30/05/2023 30/05/2023
    RIME Completed 16/04/2023 04/07/2023
    3GM-HAA Completed 16/04/2023 01/06/32023
    3GM-KaT Completed 22/05/2023 22/05/2023
    3GM-USO Completed 24/05/2023 24/05/2023
    JMAG Completed 21/04/2023 11/05/2023
    MAGBoom Completed 21/04/2023 21/04/2023
    JACS Completed 21/04/2023 21/04/2023
    JANUS Completed 15/05/2023 17/05/2023
    UVS Completed 15/06/2023 22/06/2023
    PEP-Lo Completed 30/05/2023 03/07/2023
    JDC Completed 30/05/2023 30/06/2023
    JEI Completed 30/05/2023 27/06/2023
    JNA Completed 30/05/2023 29/06/2023
    NIM Completed 31/05/2023 02/06/2023
    PEP-Hi Completed 24/05/2023 16/06/2023
    JENI Completed 05/06/2023 14/06/2023
    JOEE Completed 05/06/2023 05/06/2023
    RADEM Completed 16/04/2023 25/04/2023
     

     

    next activities

    • Start of the cruise phase
    • Deep space maneuvre in November 2023
    • First payload checkout in January 2024

    SPACECRAFT

     

    The JUICE spacecraft is a 3-axis stabilized platform that will accommodate 10 instruments. The power subsystem consists in  a solar array with two wings of five panels each for a total surface of 85 m2 providing ~820 W at Jupiter (end of life conditions), and a Li-ion battery.

    A 2.5 m diameter High Gain Antenna, using X- and Ka- bands, will ensure telemetry/telecommand links for routine operations, safe-mode, and radio science related investigations. At least, 1.4 Gbits of scientific data will be downloaded every day.

    The propulsion system is a bi-propellant main engine plus a set of 10 thrusters. The two main mission manoeuvres are the Jupiter and Ganymede orbit insertions. Two vaults will provide to some electronics a shielding against the harsh Jupiter radiation environment, as well as adequate thermal conditions.

    The spacecraft includes deployable appendices such as a 10.6 m boom supporting JMAG and RPWI sensors, a 16 m radar antenna, and a steerable medium gain antenna used for communication and radio-science investigations.

     

    Juice

     

    INSTRUMENT Publications and documents

     

    In the following table all the documents/papers related to the Juice instruments have been listed.

     

    Title Type Author Reference Workshop Location Year Link
    Tropospheric Delay Calibration System Performance During the First Two BepiColombo Solar Conjunctions Scientific paper R. Lasagni Manghi 2023

    Link
    Thermal Control Interface Document Document JUI-ADST-SYS-ICD-000127 2023

    Link
    The RADiation hard Electron Monitor (RADEM) for the Juice mission Workshop M. Pinto Outer Planet Moon Magnetosphere Interaction Netherlands 2020

    Link
    The Particle Environment Package (PEP) for the JUICE mission: current status Workshop S. Barabash Outer Planet Moon Magnetosphere Interaction Ireland 2024

    Link
    The Ganymede Laser Altimeter (GALA) for the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE): Mission, science, and instrumentation of its receiver modules Scientific paper K. Enya 2022

    Link
    Spacecraft Telemetry Needs for Science Analysis Document JUI-ESOC-MOC-TN-105 2022

    Link
    Spacecraft Radiation Model Document JUI-ADST-SYS-DN-000121 2016

    Link
    Spacecraft PFM Magnetic Test Report Document JUI-ADST-SYS-TR-000316 2022

    Link
    Spacecraft PFM Conducted EMC Test Report Document JUI-ADSF-SYS-TR-000325 2022

    Link
    Spacecraft Design Report Document JUI-ADST-SYS-DD-000122 2022

    Link
    Spacecraft Definition of House-Keeping telemetry Document JUI-ADST-SYS-TN-000321 2023

    Link
    Spacecraft Charging Analysis Report Document JUI-ADSF-SYS-TN-000171 2020

    Link
    Spacecraft Alignment Budget Report Document JUI-ADST-SYS-RP-000591 2023

    Link
    Radiation Effects and Modelling Report Document JUI-ADST-SYS-RP-000316 2022

    Link
    Post Test Thermo-elastic Analysis Report Document JUI-ADST-SYS-TN-000196 2023

    Link
    Planetary Radio Interferometry and Doppler Experiment (PRIDE) of the JUICE Mission Scientific paper L. I. Gurvits 2023

    Link
    Pictures of JUICE integration Document JUI-EST-AIT-HO-003 2019

    Link
    NavCam Design Description and Budgets Document NFU_00024053 2018

    Link
    Moons and Jupiter Imaging Spectrometer (MAJIS) on Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) Scientific paper F. Poulet 2024

    Link
    Micro-vibration Analysis Report Document JUI-ADST-SYS-TN-000188 2018

    Link
    Magnetic Cleanliness Report Document JUI-ADSF-SYS-RP-000137 2022

    Link
    Europa-UVS and Juice-UVS Plans for Auroral and Airglow Observations of Moon-Magnetosphere interactions Workshop K. Retherford Outer Planet Moon Magnetosphere Interaction Netherlands 2020

    Link
    Europa Clipper/Juice Instrument Comparison Document

    Link
    Electric Cleanliness Report Document JUI-ADSF-SYS-RP-000174 2022

    Link
    CAD Models Document JUI-ADST-SYS-ML-000125 2022

    Link
    CAD Images with Annotations Document ADCO01-00163323 2021

    Link
    Budgets Report Document JUI-ADST-SYS-RP-000132 2022

    Link