Europe's mission to Jupiter's icy moons Juice satellite is ready. Check launch date, key details

Europe's space mission to icy moons of Jupiter is ready for launch. The final testing of Juice satellite will take place in Toulouse in France. Subsequently, the satellite will be shipped to South America. The satellite will be launched in April, according to a BBC report.

The spacecraft will make a series of flybys of Jupiter's planet-sized moons - Callisto, Ganymede and Europa. The objective is to ascertain whether Callisto, Ganymede and Europa are habitable or not.



Juice satellite will undertake a journey of 6.6 billion kilometre that will last 8.5 years. It will reach Jupiter in July, 2031. Subsequently, it will undertake 35 flybys around the Callisto, Ganymede and Europa. Finally, it will settle around Ganymede by the end of 2034.

The European Space Agency is heading the project. Aerospace company Airbus is leading the construction of JUpiter ICy moons Explorer at an estimated cost of £1.4 billion, as per the report.

In 1610, Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei discovered four major moons of Jupiter -- Callisto, Ganymede, Europa, and Io. Juice will not inspect Io.

FAQs:

1. Are there 79 moons of Jupiter?
   There are 80 moons of Jupiter. International Astronomical Union has given names to 57 of them.
2. What are main moons of Jupiter?
   Main moons of Jupiter are Callisto, Ganymede, Europa, and Io.