European JUICE Space Probe Performs a Flyby of the Moon and Earth on Journey to Jupiter

The European Space Agency (ESA) announced yesterday in a press release that the JUICE (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) probe has achieved a remarkable milestone by passing close to the Moon and Earth on its journey to Jupiter scheduled for a 2031 arrival. According to the release, this maneuver aims to facilitate its eight-year journey to Jupiter. The probe approached the Moon on August 19 at 9 PM GMT before flying over Southeast Asia and the Pacific Ocean the next day, just before 10 PM, at an altitude of fewer than 7,000 kilometers. During this passage, the probe slightly accelerated near the Moon and then decelerated more sharply as it neared Earth, altering its course towards Venus, its next destination in 2025. According to ESA, the upcoming flyby missions in 2026 and 2029 will bring the probe back to Earth before its anticipated arrival at Jupiter in July 2031. The probe was launched last April via the space launch vehicle Ariane 5, embarking on a journey to Jupiter, approximately 800 million kilomete rs from Earth. Source: Saudi Press Agency