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Credit & Copyright: NASA
Explanation:
Next stop:
Jupiter.
Last week included one of the few times in history that
humanity launched
something completely off the Earth, moving away so fast that it will never return.
Well, almost --
Juno's planned trajectory
actually brings it homeward bound in about two years, zipping by, this time using
the Earth's
gravity to pull
it to an even higher speed, high enough to
reach Jupiter.
The above video depicts the launch of Juno
aboard a
Atlas V rocket.
When the robotic
Juno spacecraft reaches Jupiter
in 2016, it will spend just over a year circling the Solar System's
largest planet, using
its unique cadre of instruments to probe the planet,
sending back clues of its structure and origin.
Then
Juno will be instructed
to dive into the thick atmosphere of the Jovian giant, taking as much data as it
can before it melts.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Jupiter - launch
Publications with words: Jupiter - launch
See also: