The European Space Agency has launched its rocket mission to Jupiter and its moons.
The six-tonne probe, named Juice (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer), blasted off on Friday to travel to the solar system’s biggest planet to see if its ocean-bearing moons support life.
It was originally due to take off on Thursday but weather conditions showed there was a risk of lightning, temporarily pausing what would have been the agency’s first attempt to send spacecraft to orbit another planet’s moon.
Arianespace developed the Ariane 5 rocket carrying Juice. After lift-off, Juice was due to separate from the rocket about half an hour later, and embark on a 4.1 billion-mile journey that will take more than eight years.
Juice has 10 instruments on board, which will investigate whether the gas giant’s three moons – Callisto, Europa and Ganymede – can support life in its oceans.
Scientists from Imperial College London have led the development of one instrument, known as the magnetometer.
Called J-MAG, it will measure the characteristics of magnetic fields of Jupiter and Ganymede – the only moon known to produce its own magnetic field.
Engineers and mission controllers have very a short launch window – about one second long – to send the spacecraft on its journey.
This is because Venus and Earth need to be in the perfect position for Juice to perform a manoeuvre known as gravitational assist, where it will use the gravity of the planets to slingshot towards Jupiter.
