Juno (New Frontiers 2)

Spacecraft nº:

US spacecraft nº:

Launch data: Designation  37773 / 11040A Launch date  05 Aug 2011- 16:25 UT Launch site  CC, SLC-41 Launch vehicle  Atlas-V/551 (AV-029) Mission  Jupiter polar orbiter Perigee / Apogee   km Eccentricity   Inclination   deg Period   min

Spacecraft data: Prime manufactor  Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver Platform   Operator  NASA JPL Mass at launch  3625 kg Dry Mass  1593 kg Basic shape   Dimension (m)   Equipment   Solar array  3 deployable fixed solar arrays Stabilization  Spin stabilized Propulsion  LEROS-1B DC power   Design lifetime

Description:

• Juno carries magnetometers, plasma and particle instruments, UV auroral imagers and spectrometers, and the JunoCam imager. The probe has a mass of 1593 kg and carries a further 2032 kg of propellant. Its three large solar arrays span around 22 meters; it is the first spacecraft to fly to the outer solar system without radioisotope power sources.
• The Juno spacecraft carries a payload of 29 sensors, which feed data to nine onboard instruments. Eight of these instruments (MAG, MWR, Gravity Science, Waves, JEDI, JADE, UVS, JIRAM) are considered the science payload. One instrument, JunoCam, is aboard to generate images for education and public outreach.
• Primary science observations are obtained within three hours of closest approach to Jupiter, although calibrations, occasional remote sensing and magnetospheric science observations are planned throughout the science orbits around Jupiter.
• Juno is spin-stabilized. Because of the spacecraft mission design and the fact that its science instruments were all developed together, and there is no need for a scan platform to point instruments in different directions. Gravity science and microwave sounding of the atmosphere observations are obtained through orientation of the spacecraft's spin plane. All other experiments utilize ride-along pointing and work in either one or both orientations. This design allows for very simple operations.

Mission details:

• NASA's second New Frontiers mission, Juno, was launched on Aug 5, 2011 by Atlas V serial AV-029. It entered a 194 x 226 km x 28.8 deg parking orbit at 1635 UTC and a hyperbolic escape orbit at 1715 UTC. AV-029 separated from Juno at 1718 UTC.
• On Aug 8, 2011 the probe left the Earth's gravitational sphere of influence and entered a 1.0 x 2.26AU x 0.1 deg solar orbit.
• The Juno mission completed has its first orbit of the Sun, heading out to the inner asteroid belt at 2.2AU and back for a 552 km flyby of Earth at 1922 UTC Oct 9, 2013 which sends it out again into a 0.98 x 5.44 AU x 4.5 deg solar orbit on its way to Jupiter orbit insertion.
• The Juno mission completed its first orbit of the Sun, heading out to the inner asteroid belt at 2.2AU and back for a 552 km flyby of Earth at 1922 UTC Oct 9, 2013 which sends it out again into a 0.98 x 5.44 AU x 4.5 deg solar orbit on its way to Jupiter orbit insertion.
• Juno will enter Jupiter polar orbit in 2016 Jul and will complete its mission in 2017 Oct with disposal in the Jovian atmosphere.
• NASA has decided that Juno′s main engine, its reliability in question, will not be used to alter the probe′s orbit around Jupiter. As of Feb 24, 2017 Juno remains in a 3750 x 7973000 km x 90.7 deg Jovian orbit with a 53 day orbital period. It will reach apojove on Mar 1, 2017; perijove 5 will be at 0850 UTC on Mar 27, 2017. Most of the critical science data is taken during perijove passes as the probe skims the Jovian cloudtops. Staying in the high orbit just means that the mission will take longer to complete.

External links:

• AmericaSpace: Extending Juno Mission to Bring New, Closer Views of Three of Jupiter′s Largest Moons and Rings
• SpaceFlight 101: Juno Spacecraft Information