Twitter
Advertisement

NASA space probe to lift the veil on Jupiter

The spacecraft's planned rendezvous with the object located deeper in the Kuiper Belt, known as 2014 MU69, is January 1, 2019.

Latest News
article-main
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

NASA's Juno spacecraft hurtled closer toward Jupiter on Friday headed for a July 4 leap into polar orbit around the solar system's largest planet to analyze how it formed and helped set the stage for life on Earth. During a 20-month study, Juno is expected to circle the gas giant in 37 egg-shaped orbits to measure microwaves radiating from inside the planet's thick atmosphere, map its massive magnetic field and conduct other experiments.

A previous report points out that following a historic first-ever flyby of Pluto, NASA's New Horizons mission will fly deeper into space towards an ancient object considered to be one of the early building blocks of the solar system. 

The spacecraft's planned rendezvous with the object located deeper in the Kuiper Belt, known as 2014 MU69, is January 1, 2019. "The New Horizons mission to Pluto exceeded our expectations and even today the data from the spacecraft continue to surprise," said Jim Green, NASA's Director of Planetary Science.

"We're excited to continue onward into the dark depths of the outer solar system to a science target that wasn't even discovered when the spacecraft launched," Green said.

Based upon the 2016 Planetary Mission Senior Review Panel report, NASA this week directed nine extended missions to plan for continued operations through fiscal years 2017 and 2018. Final decisions on mission extensions are contingent on the outcome of the annual budget process. In addition to the extension of the New Horizons mission, NASA determined that the Dawn spacecraft should remain at the dwarf planet Ceres, rather than changing course to the main belt asteroid Adeona.

Green noted that NASA relies on the scientific assessment by the Senior Review Panel in making its decision on which extended mission option to approve.

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement