An eight-year journey lies ahead of the satellite. “Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer”, or “Juice”, will investigate the giant planet Jupiter and its three moons Ganymede, Callisto and Europa. The goal is to see if there is a basis for life. Here Juice takes off for his journey to Jupiter. Source: ESA. It was a nervous and proud project manager for the space and monitoring department who followed the launch at ESA’s space station in Kourou in French Guiana from Kongsberg. – No one wants to be the one responsible for something that doesn’t work, and everyone wants the assignment to be a success, says Sylvia Merethe Omholdt. A full hall at Kongsberg Gruppen followed excitedly and nervously as “Juice” took off from the ground. Photo: Caroline Utti / news Norwegian parts on board Kongsberg Gruppen has helped ESA (European Space Agency) with several components to make this possible. – We have struts that attach the side rockets to the main rocket. So the first thing that should happen is that they are released. We are responsible for that. The other product we have on board the satellite is solar panel drivers and control for it. Sylvia Merethe Omholdt watched excitedly when “Juice” was about to take off. Photo: Caroline Utti / news It is these solar panels that will power the satellite – even though it is hundreds of millions of kilometers from the sun. Nammo in Raufoss has also contributed to “Juice”, by ensuring that the solar panel will unfold in the right way. These are the solar panels that will ensure that “Juice” gets to Jupiter. Photo: JB Accariez – Master Films / ESA Progress at Jupiter July 2031 The launch was originally supposed to take place on Wednesday 13 April, but due to bad weather it was postponed by one day. When “Juice” finally took off, there was ecstasy – and probably a little relief – among those who followed from Kongsberg Gruppen. – We have just been informed that the solar panels have been unfolded. They have started transmitting power to the satellite through our equipment. Everything is as it should be and works, says Omholdt. There was wild jubilation among Kongsberg Gruppen when it seemed to go according to plan with “Juice”. Photo: Carolie Utti / news 28 minutes after the launch, “Juice” threw off the Ariane 5 launch rocket. During the 17th day, among other things, the solar panels and antennas will be deployed, before it continues its journey towards Jupiter. To get there, “Juice” will use Earth and Venus to be hurled forward. The satellite is scheduled to be in place in July 2031. Then it will pass its American colleague, NASA’s space probe “Juno”, which has been around Jupiter since June 2016. The satellite “Juice”‘s eight-year journey to Jupiter. Photo: ESA Looking for life Project researcher for “Juice” at ESA, Olivier Witasse, says the scientific treasure found will be able to help us understand our own solar system. At the same time, they hope to find out if there are potentially habitable places outside the Earth. – This knowledge will make us richer beings, learn more about ourselves, our origin and our place in the universe, he says. The moon Europa beyond Jupiter. According to ESA, the red “scars” are etched in with a layer of water ice that is believed to be several kilometers thick and hides a potentially habitable ocean. Photo: ESA / NASA
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The satellite “Juice” on its way to Jupiter with parts from Kongsberg Gruppen – news Oslo and Viken – Local news, TV and radio
