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NASA's Juno Blasts Off To Investigate Jupiter

Posted by Soulskill on from the already-looking-forward-to-the-pretty-pictures dept.

coondoggie writes "NASA shot its 4-ton Juno spacecraft into the cosmos today with the ultimate goal of learning everything we can about the largest planet in our solar system, Jupiter. Juno, once described as a flying armored tank, will take five years to reach its destination, slated to arrive at Jupiter in August 2016." NASA has an explanation of the steps involved in getting Juno through the launch, and an animated film explaining the mission. The mission website has streaming video of Juno's progress, and NASA's press kit explains the goals and the spacecraft in detail (PDF).

8 of 34 comments (clear)

  1. A pedant writes by 00_NOP · · Score: 2

    If it wasn't in the cosmos until today, where was it?

  2. One small step for man... by hedgemage · · Score: 3, Funny

    One giant leap for LEGOkind.
    http://idle.slashdot.org/story/11/08/04/1420201/NASA-Sends-Lego-Figures-to-Jupiter

    1. Re:One small step for man... by camperdave · · Score: 2

      There were Lego pieces sent to Mars as well; aboard the MER rovers Spirit, and Opportunity. They have been on shuttle launches, and aboard the ISS. Lego has a long history of going into space.

      --
      When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
  3. This is a good mission by JoshuaZ · · Score: 4, Interesting

    This is the first major mission to Jupiter since Galileo which was launched in 1989. Unlike Galileo this won't be focusing on the moons as much (which is sort of too bad since they are some of the most interesting things about Jupiter since they might harbor life.) Also, as TFA discusses, this has a lot of stuff to help deal with the high radiation which hasn't been used before. Seeing how exactly that technology works will help out a lot with future probes to high radiation or high magnetic field environments. One other nice thing about this is that we might get more information about the core which is currently hypothesized to be metalic hydrogen because the hydrogen is just under such high pressure that it becomes a solid, and that's freaking awesome.

    1. Re:This is a good mission by Hatta · · Score: 4, Funny

      Juno a lot about this mission.

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      Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
  4. Godspeed! by arcite · · Score: 2

    Truly amazing that we, the only sentient life-forms we know of in the known universe, can conquer the nearly insurmountable forces and vastness of space, to discover the unknown. Restores my faith in humanity just a little bit!

  5. Re:Why So Long a Flight Time? by Zorpheus · · Score: 2

    It is cheaper that way, since a smaller rocket can be used when launching the probe at a slower speed. Also the Voyagers weighted only 722kg, while Juno weighs 3625kg. The higher mass decreases the speed, unless a much larger rocket is used.

  6. Re:Why So Long a Flight Time? by Convector · · Score: 2

    The Pioneers and Voyagers didn't have to stop. Juno's going into orbit, and that's easier if it's not zipping along at breakneck speed. Going into orbit is always much more difficult than flying by.