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Juno

Overview:

This mission will conduct an in-depth study of the giant gas planet Jupiter. A spacecraft will enter polar orbit around the planet to investigate the existence of an ice-rock core; determine the amount of global water and ammonia present in the atmosphere; study convection and deep wind profiles in the atmosphere; investigate the origin of the jovian magnetic field; and explore the polar magnetosphere.

For more facts about the Juno mission, you can download the pdf here (159 Kb)

Mission Details:

Mass at launch: 3625 kilograms (7992 pounds)

Power source: three 2.65 meter x 9 meter (8.7 feet x 29.5 feet) solar arrays

Science instruments:

* Gravity/radio science system
* Six-wavelength microwave radiometer for atmospheric sounding and composition
* Vector magnetometer
* Plasma and energetic particle detectors
* Radio/plasma wave experiment
* Ultraviolet imager/spectrometer
* Infrared imager/spectrometer

The spacecraft will also carry a color camera to provide the public with unprecedented close-up images of Jupiter, including the first detailed glimpse of the planet's poles.