Two Missions – One Goal
Another upcoming space mission to the Jupiter system is the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE), a flagship mission led by the European Space Agency (ESA), launched on 14 April 2023. Its primary goal is to explore Jupiter and its three largest ocean-bearing moons – Ganymede, Europa, and Callisto – with emphasis on their icy shells, subsurface oceans, surface geology, and potential habitability. JUICE will arrive at Jupiter in July 2031 and conduct at least four years of scientific observations, including detailed orbiting of Ganymede. Currently at FUB, comparative studies between Europa and Ganymede on possible similar processes and related surface expressions are undergoing. Several group members are strongly involved on the JANUS-Camerasystem onboard JUICE. These studies are crucial for future synergistic observations between Europa Clipper and JUICE: both spacecrafts will be at the Jupiter system in a similar time frame, thus allowing for unprecedented simultaneous joint observations that will surely allow unique scientific opportunities from both missions.