Radar antenna crucial to Jupiter spacecraft malfunctions

On April 28, 2023, the European Space Agency (ESA) announced that a major antenna for the Jupiter Frozen Moons Expedition (JUICE) had a problem.

Illustration of ESA’s JUICE spacecraft orbiting Jupiter’s moon Ganymede.

Illustration of ESA’s JUICE spacecraft orbiting Jupiter’s moon Ganymede. (Photo: ESA/ATG MediɑLab).

Theo ESA, JUICE’s 16m long radar antenna only opens to 1/3 of the specified level. The instrument is designed to peer through the icy surfaces of Jupiter’s moons, looking for signs of life-sustaining conditions in the waters below. If there is no problem, this will help the spacecraft see up to 9m deep under moons such as Ganymede or Europa.

Engineers suspect that a small stuck latch is the cause of the antenna’s inability to fully extend. The flight control team in Germany plans to fire up JUICE’s engine in hopes of rattling and loosening the latch. If the above doesn’t work, they still have plenty of time to fix the problem.

The Ariane 5 rocket brought JUICE from Kourou, French Guiana at 7:14 p.m. on April 14 (Hanoi time). The shuttle, the size of a minibus, is scheduled to arrive at Jupiter in 2031. It takes a detour to reach its destination, with a long journey that includes close flybys of Earth, the Moon and Venus to reach its destination. . receive gravitational support (take advantage of the gravity of celestial bodies to change direction and accelerate).

The JUICE mission, valued at around $1.8 billion, is NASA’s first trip to the outer reaches of the solar system, marking a pivotal moment in European space exploration. The spacecraft will focus on studying Jupiter’s moons Gɑnymede, Europa and Callisto.

ƐSA indicates that all the rest of the vessel is in good working order. A radio antenna, solar panels and a 10.6 m long bar magnetometer to measure Jupiter’s magnetic field have been successfully deployed.

Article source: VnExpress