Juno (spacecraft) facts for kids
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Artist's rendering of the Juno spacecraft at Jupiter
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| Mission type | Jupiter orbiter |
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| Operator | NASA / JPL |
| Website |
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| Mission duration | Planned: 7 years Elapsed: 13 years, 11 months, 4 days Cruise: 4 years, 10 months, 29 days Science phase: 4 years (extended until July 2021) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | Lockheed Martin |
| Launch mass | 3,625 kg (7,992 lb) |
| Dry mass | 1,593 kg (3,512 lb) |
| Dimensions | 20.1 × 4.6 m (66 × 15 ft) |
| Power | 14 kW at Earth, 435 W at Jupiter 2 × 55-ampere-hour lithium-ion batteries |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | August 5, 2011, 16:25 UTC |
| Rocket | Atlas V 551 (AV-029) |
| Launch site | Cape Canaveral SLC-41 |
| Contractor | United Launch Alliance |
 Juno mission insignia New Frontiers program
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The Juno spacecraft is a special space probe from NASA. It is currently orbiting the giant planet Jupiter. Lockheed Martin built Juno, and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory controls it.
Juno launched on August 5, 2011, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. It was part of the New Frontiers program. The spacecraft reached Jupiter and started its science mission on July 5, 2016. Juno flies in a special path called a polar orbit around Jupiter. When its mission is over, Juno will be sent into Jupiter's atmosphere on purpose.
Juno's main job is to study Jupiter. It measures the planet's makeup, its gravity, and its magnetic field. It also looks at Jupiter's polar magnetosphere. Scientists hope Juno will help them understand how Jupiter formed. This includes finding out if Jupiter has a rocky core and how much water is deep inside its atmosphere. Juno also studies Jupiter's strong winds, which can blow up to 618 kilometers per hour (384 mph).
Juno is the second spacecraft to orbit Jupiter. The first was the Galileo orbiter, which used nuclear power. Galileo orbited Jupiter from 1995 to 2003. Unlike Galileo and other probes sent far into space, Juno uses solar arrays for power. These are usually used by satellites closer to Earth. Juno has three very large solar panels. They help power the spacecraft and keep it stable.
Juno gets its name from Greek and Roman mythology. In these stories, the god Jupiter would hide behind clouds. His wife, the goddess Juno, could see through the clouds to find out his true nature.
The Juno mission was first planned to cost about $700 million. It was supposed to launch in 2009. But due to budget changes, it was delayed until August 2011. It launched on an Atlas V rocket. By 2011, the mission was expected to cost about $1.1 billion.
Juno's Science Goals
The Juno spacecraft has many science tools. These tools help it study Jupiter in detail:
- Water in Jupiter: Juno will measure how much water is in Jupiter's atmosphere. This helps scientists understand how Jupiter and our Solar System were made.
- Jupiter's Core: It will get a better idea of how big Jupiter's core is. This also helps with theories about the Solar System's formation.
- Gravity Map: Juno will map Jupiter's gravitational field very carefully. This shows how mass is spread out inside Jupiter. It helps us learn about the planet's structure.
- Magnetic Field: The probe will map Jupiter's magnetic field. This helps scientists understand where the field comes from and how deep inside Jupiter it is created.
- Atmosphere Study: Juno will map changes in Jupiter's atmosphere. This includes its makeup, temperature, clouds, and winds at different heights.
- Polar Lights: It will explore the 3D structure of Jupiter's polar magnetosphere and its amazing auroras (like the Northern Lights on Earth).
Special Items on Juno
Juno carries a special plaque dedicated to Galileo Galilei. The Italian Space Agency provided this plaque. It is made of strong aluminum and weighs only 6 grams (0.21 oz). The plaque shows a picture of Galileo. It also has words written by Galileo himself in 1610. These words describe his observations of Jupiter's largest moons, now called the Galilean moons.
The spacecraft also carries three special Lego minifigures. These figures represent Galileo, the Roman god Jupiter, and the goddess Juno. The Juno minifigure holds a magnifying glass, showing she is searching for truth. Jupiter holds a lightning bolt. Galileo Galilei has his telescope with him.
NASA and the Lego Group worked together on these minifigures. They are part of a program to get kids interested in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Most Lego toys are plastic, but these minifigures are made of aluminum. This helps them survive the extreme conditions of space travel.
Images for kids
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Juno in launch configuration
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Juno awaiting its launch in 2011
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Juno's elliptical orbit and the Jovian radiation belts
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Animation of Juno's trajectory around Jupiter from 1 June 2016 to 25 October 2025 Juno · Jupiter
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Ganymede, photographed on 7 June 2021 by Juno during its extended mission
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Jupiter imaged using the VISIR instrument on the VLT. These observations will inform the work to be undertaken by Juno.
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Illumination test on one of Juno's solar panels
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Juno's high-gain antenna dish being installed
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Galileo Galilei plaque
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Minifigures that were on the Juno spacecraft
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Atlas V on launch pad
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Lift-off
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Low resolution view of Io captured by JunoCam (September 2017)
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Plume near Io's terminator (21 December 2018)
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Ganymede, taken by the JunoCam instrument during Juno's flyby on 8 June 2021
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Infrared view of Ganymede during the anniversary flyby by Juno
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See also
In Spanish: Juno (sonda espacial) para niños
