On October 2, 2024, NASA announced unprecedented images of Earth's radiation belt, captured by the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) spacecraft. This belt, part of Earth's magnetosphere, serves as a protective shield against harmful cosmic rays from space.
The images reveal unprecedented clarity of the Van Allen radiation belt, enhancing our understanding of this critical region. JUICE, launched on April 14, 2023, is en route to Jupiter and its moons, aiming to arrive in 2031. The mission focuses on studying Jupiter's magnetosphere and its interactions with its largest moons, including Ganymede, which may harbor subsurface oceans.
During its journey, JUICE performed a historic flyby between the Moon and Earth in August 2023, coming within 465 miles (748 kilometers) of the Moon's surface. This maneuver allowed the spacecraft to collect vital data on the space environment, utilizing gravity assists to conserve fuel and adjust its trajectory efficiently.
Two key instruments, JoEE and JENI, were tested during the flybys. JoEE gathered data on the lunar environment, while JENI captured high-sensitivity images of energized neutral atoms in Earth's magnetosphere. These findings are crucial for understanding the dynamics of energetic particles and ensuring astronaut safety during future long-duration space missions.
NASA emphasizes that these initial results will inform strategies to protect astronauts from radiation hazards. JUICE's next target is a gravity assist maneuver near Venus in August 2025, before its final approach to Jupiter in July 2031, where it will conduct its primary scientific mission.