ESA reveals 5 major mysteries around Jupiter & its Moons that the JUICE mission will solve

The European Space Agency (ESA) is assembling its JUICE spacecraft which would scrutinise Jupiter and its icy Moons--Ganymede, Callisto and Europa after the scheduled launch in April next year. Short for Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, the JUICE mission will deploy a suite of remote sensing, geophysical and in situ instruments to characterise the gas giant and its Moons by exploring their environment. Recently, ESA revealed that the mission would help answer five major mysteries about Jupiter in the outer solar system.

The five key mysteries

The first of the five mysteries JUICE will look to solve is what Jupiter's ocean-bearing Moons are like. It is evident that all three of the Moons have large sub-surface oceans which could be potentially habitable and might be a thriving place for microbial life. Scientists believe that water is a component that is essential for the survival of all life forms and an excellent place to start for searching alien life. 

The second major question is related to Ganymede, the only Moon in our solar system with its own magnetic field. With JUICE, astronomers plan to determine the origin of this magnetic field which makes it so unique. The spacecraft will orbit Ganymede for eight months becoming the first to orbit a Moon other than the Earth's. Interestingly, Ganymede is bigger than Pluto and Mercury in size, making it the biggest Moon in our solar system. 

The third and probably the most fundamental mystery awaiting to be solved is whether Jupiter's system ever had life. As mentioned above, the massive amount of water beneath the icy crust of Jupiter's Moon makes it a treasure trove to find signs of life on worlds other than the Earth. Notably, these Moons have oceans even bigger than that of the Earth. 

The fourth question would be how has Jupiter's complex space environment shaped its Moon and vice-versa. And lastly, the mission would help scientists determine the process through which a typical gas giant forms. After its launch from Europe's spaceport next year, the spacecraft will reach Jupiter's system in 2031 to begin its life-hunting operation. ESA says that JUICE will study the "moons as both planetary objects and possible habitats, explore Jupiter’s complex environment in depth, and study the wider Jupiter system as an archetype for gas giants across the Universe."

Image: NASA