On 28 September, Europe’s Juice spacecraft will pass within 8,640 kilometres of Earth. The planet’s gravity will change its trajectory and increase its speed by about 3.5 kilometres per second.
Closest approach will be over the Indian Ocean at 11:45 UTC, or 16:45 in Kazakhstan. The manoeuvre helps Juice reach Jupiter using less fuel: the spacecraft uses a planet’s motion and gravity to change its path around the Sun.
Juice launched in April 2023 and has already flown past the Moon, Earth and Venus. After September’s encounter, another Earth flyby is planned for January 2029. Arrival at Jupiter is expected in July 2031.
The flyby will also offer an opportunity to test scientific instruments. The team plans observations of Earth and the Moon from 23 September to 3 October. These will help calibrate equipment before the main mission in the Jupiter system.
The mission aims to study Jupiter and three of its large icy moons: Ganymede, Callisto and Europa. Scientists are interested in their subsurface oceans and in conditions that could be suitable for life.
