Jupiter's massive collection of moons has been of increasing interest to space agencies ever since we realized some might have subsurface oceans. NASA has the Juno probe preparing for a swing past some Jovian moons, and the Europa Clipper is on track to study its namesake in a few years. The European Space Agency (ESA) launched its own moon explorer a few weeks ago, and the JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE) just flipped on its science instruments for the first time. However, one of its most important tools isn't cooperating, but the ESA is optimistic it'll get the probe fully operational.
JUICE launched in mid-April aboard Europe's workhorse Ariane 5 rocket. The launch and initial deployment went off without a hitch, and the agency now reports the vital magnetometer boom for the J-MAG instrument is online. This equipment will analyze Jupiter's magnetic field and probe its connection to the moon Ganymede. It will also help probe the moon for a suspected sub-surface ocean.
The ESA shared sensor data from J-MAG (above), which relies on two large boom antennas. During launch and initial cruising, the booms are tamped down close to the spacecraft's highly magnetic thrusters. Thus, J-MAG showed a consistently high magnetic field before deployment and lower, more varied signals afterward.
Things aren't going as smoothly for JUICE's largest instrument. The Radar for Icy Moons Exploration (RIME) relies on a 16-meter antenna boom that was supposed to deploy this week. It was designed to peer below ice sheets in search of liquid water. However, the ESA has reported that RIME is being difficult. Footage from the probe's maintenance cameras shows the boom moving a few inches before it encounters resistance and stops. The agency says it is seeing progress with each attempt, and there's no reason to panic now.
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The team believes a pin somewhere in the RIME boom isn't releasing as it should, and they've come up with several possible sources of action. The vibrations from an upcoming engine burn may shake the pin loose. If that doesn't work, the ESA hopes that rotating the craft to put the boom in direct sunlight will heat the apparatus and dislodge the stuck pin. JUICE will take eight years to reach Jupiter, and they have two months set aside for the commissioning process, so there's time to get things sorted out.
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