Juice mission blasts off to Jupiter to look for signs of life
by Ian Sample Science editor from on (#6ASVQ)
European Space Agency probe due to arrive in 2031 to scan icy moons and study Great Red Spot
The European Space Agency's Juice probe has blasted off on a landmark mission to Jupiter's moons, rising on a plume of white from its launchpad in Kourou, French Guiana, on the north-eastern shoulder of South America.
The mission, which was delayed for 24 hours after lightning threatened to strike on Thursday, intends to uncover the secrets of Jupiter's Great Red Spot, its enormous polar auroras, and how its mighty magnetic field shapes conditions on the gas giant's nearby moons.
Continue reading...