Jupiter-Bound 'Juice' Spacecraft Sees Radar Antenna Unfold Only a Third of the Way

Urian B., Tech Times 28 April 2023, 11:04 pm

The European Space Agency'smission to Jupiter's icy moons is off to a bumpy start. Europe launched the Juice probe two weeks ago, only to discover a critical radar antenna stuck in its jambs.

Attempting a Solution: Firing the Spacecraft's Engine in the Hopes of Dislodging the Pin

According to the story by Phys.org, the agency suspects a small pin may be jutting from the antenna and plans to fire the spacecraft's engine in the hopes of dislodging it.

After discovering a jammed critical antenna, The European Space Agency faces an unexpected challenge on its Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) mission. The antenna, a 52-foot (16-meter) radar device, was deployed after liftoff two weeks ago but failed to extend to its full capacity.

After assessing the issue, engineers determined that a tiny pin may be stuck in the mechanism, likely a remnant from the production process, preventing it from completing its deployment.

The Juice mission is highly important for the space agency, with a $1.8 billion price-tag and ambitious goals to study the three moons surrounding Jupiter and search for potential signs of life.

Using Gravity-Assist Flybys to Overcome the Antenna Jam

The radar antenna is essential to penetrate beneath the icy crust of the planets and access the subterranean oceans beneath. The current jam is an obstacle in accomplishing this as the antenna allows for gathering images and data over a much larger area.

Flight controllers based in Germany plan to use the spacecraft's engine to attempt to shake the pin out of the antenna and unjam the device. The ESA reports that it would continue the deployment of the Juice RIME antenna.

Failing this, they have plenty of time to solve the problem before Juice reaches the Jupiter system in 2031, with the spacecraft having been set on a roundabout pathway using gravity-assist flybys.

Besides the antenna, the remainder of the craft has been successfully readied. Its 35-foot (10.6-meter) boom for measuring Jupiter's magnetic field has been successfully unfolded alongside its solar panels and radio antenna.

A Journey to Jupiter: The Complexities of Space Exploration

The Juice mission is also equipped with an array of scientific instruments, ranging from particle and plasma analyzers to cameras and a powerful imaging spectrometer, all of which should be operational once the antenna is sorted.

For now, the European Space Agency continues to monitor the progress of the Juice mission and hopes for a successful outcome to the dilemma posed by the jammed critical antenna. Another article by Space reported that there was a glitch in Juice.

This incident only cements the complexity and difficulty of space exploration. Where Juice is concerned, the mission is only two weeks into a nine-year journey -- and already, there is an issue. Space exploration is a long, arduous journey, and incidents like this point to how complex (and sometimes fragile) their operations must be.

Still, the European Space Agency appears confident in its plan to resolve the situation. If their efforts are successful, Juice will be on its way to Jupiter, and in the future, we may gain a greater understanding of our universe.