Search Results for: Jupiter

Juno provides new data on Jupiter; readies for primary science mission

The Juno spacecraft has beamed back stunning images from its recent – and closest – approach to Jupiter, swinging to within 4,200 km (~2,610 miles) of the largest…

Juno successfully completes orbital insertion burn to arrive at Jupiter

After a near five year cruise through the solar system, NASA’s Juno spacecraft has become the second craft to permanently enter orbit of the largest planet in our…

Juno slingshot – Spacecraft zips past Earth en route to Jupiter

NASA’s Juno spacecraft performed a close gravity assist flyby of the Earth on Wednesday, aiding its five-year journey to Jupiter. Earth’s gravity accelerating assist for the solar-powered spacecraft…

JUPITER 2/EchoStar XIX deal signed for 2016 Ariane 5 launch

Space Systems/Loral (SSL) have announced they will build what will be the world’s highest capacity broadband satellite. The new Ka-band satellite – called JUPITER 2/EchoStar XIX – will…

ULA Atlas V launches NASA’s Juno on a path to Jupiter

United Launch Alliance (ULA) have launched their Atlas V carrying NASA’s Juno probe on its way to Jupiter on Friday. The liftoff of the flagship mission was delayed by…

DIRECT issue rebuttal over NASA analysis of Jupiter launch vehicle

The team behind the alternative exploration architecture known as DIRECT have released a rebuttal document, countering claims made by NASA’s Constellation Program, ahead of the Blue Ribbon review…

Pioneer 10: first probe to leave the inner solar system & precursor to Juno

The first spacecraft to leave the inner solar system sailed into the asteroid belt 45 years ago today, 15 July 1972, on a mission that would mark many…

NASA finally sets goals, missions for SLS – eyes multi-step plan to Mars

After years without concrete missions beyond the current EM-2 test flight, NASA has finally unveiled a plan for multiple missions of its SLS rocket.  The plan would see…

YIR V: ‘Planet Nine’ – Pushing the boundaries of the solar system

In 2016, our understanding of our cosmic home might have taken its most significant leap forward since the discovery of Uranus shattered our then perception of a six-planet…

YIR III: From dwarfs to giants – the missions of Dawn, Juno, and Cassini

Moving out into the asteroid belt and farther still to the gas giants, NASA’s Dawn, Juno, and Cassini missions churned away in orbit of their respective hosts –…

Atlas V completes ULA’s 2016 with EchoStar XIX launch

United Launch Alliance launched its last Atlas V rocket of 2016 Sunday, deploying the EchoStar XIX commercial communications satellite for Hughes Network Systems. The launch, from the Cape Canaveral…

ULA Delta IV launches WGS-8 satellite

United Launch Alliance (ULA) has launched a Delta IV rocket on Wednesday evening, carrying the eighth satellite in the US Air Force’s Wideband Global Satcom system. The rocket…

Historic Rosetta mission to comet 67P concludes with landing

After more than 12 years in space and two years at comet 67P, the European Space Agency has said goodbye to its historic Rosetta spacecraft.  The first craft…

“Statistically significant evidence” for water emissions from Europa

NASA has confirmed “statistically significant evidence” from the Hubble Space Telescope indicating the presence of salty watery ejecta plumes from the Jovian moon Europa.  The announcement lends further…

Atlas V begins OSIRIS-REx’s round trip to the asteroid Bennu

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft has began a seven-year round trip to the asteroid Bennu on Thursday, beginning its journey via a launch aboard the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas…

Delta IV-H WDR as ULA lines up its immediate and long-term goals

United Launch Alliance (ULA) successfully conducted a Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR) on Thursday for its Delta IV- Heavy tasked with the launch of the NROL-37 spacecraft. Meanwhile, the…

Cassini conducting fly-by of Titan to sniff its atmosphere

The Cassini spacecraft is conducting a fly-by pass of Titan on Monday, a pass that will involve two major science observations. Known as the “T-118” Titan encounter, two…

NASA examines options and flight paths for SLS EM-2 mission

As NASA and its contracted partner agencies press forward toward the debut launch of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket in 2018, the U.S. space agency is beginning…

Year In Review, Part 2: Planetary science sees ends and new beginnings

Year 2015 was yet another banner stretch for planetary exploration. The year saw the farewell of NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft at Mercury, the delayed arrival of JAXA’s Akatsuki at…