Europe's first mission to the Jupiter system, the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE), is scheduled to launch on April 13 from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
JUICE will arrive at the gas giant in 2031 after performing flybys of Venus, Earth, and the moon to adjust its trajectory and increase speed.
JUICE has a tight launch schedule and only one second to get off the ground.
- The launch window only occurs twice yearly when celestial bodies are appropriately aligned.
- The JUICE team will continue to monitor weather forecasts leading up to the launch as an overcast sky with some thunderstorms and a 76% chance of rain is predicted.
- The launch webcast will last three hours and 20 minutes, with a 45-minute press briefing.
- After launch, JUICE will deploy its instruments over the next 17 days.
