Science & Space
Juice Uses Earth Flyby to Sharpen Its Route to Jupiter
ESA’s Juice spacecraft completed an Earth flyby that changed its trajectory toward Jupiter while conserving fuel.
What happened
The European Space Agency’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer skimmed the outer edge of Earth’s atmosphere on 28 September. It used Earth’s gravity to alter its route to Jupiter, requiring very little fuel. The flyby was described as successful and improved the spacecraft’s course.
Why it matters
The manoeuvre changes Juice’s trajectory toward Jupiter while limiting fuel use, supporting the spacecraft’s long-distance mission with fewer onboard resources consumed.
Source: ESA