Researchers investigate iconic 'Earthrise' crater, searching for potential extraterrestrial life within our solar system
The European Space Agency's (ESA) Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) spacecraft recently conducted a crucial test of its Radar for Icy Moon Exploration (RIME) instrument during a lunar flyby. The test, which took place at the Anders' Earthrise crater, will help ensure that RIME can accurately measure subsurface depths on icy bodies like Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto when JUICE reaches Jupiter in 2031 [1][2][3][5].
Located on the Moon and famously featured in the iconic 1968 Apollo 8 "Earthrise" photograph, the Anders' Earthrise crater—previously known as Pasteur T—serves as an ideal natural test target due to its extensive mapping by NASA's Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) [2][3]. With a diameter of approximately 40 kilometers, the crater's well-known topography allows for the comparison of RIME's radar elevation data against established standards, enabling scientists to refine the operational algorithms and counteract electronic interference from the spacecraft [2][3].
RIME is a vital tool for JUICE's mission, as it is designed to measure elevation on both rocky and icy bodies. To achieve accurate readings, it requires as much silence as possible. During the lunar flyby, JUICE was able to create the ideal conditions for RIME to function effectively [4].
Following the lunar encounter, JUICE will head towards Venus, where it will receive a gravity assist to help propel it towards Jupiter. After its Venusian encounter, JUICE will complete 35 flybys of Jupiter's most massive moons before settling into orbit around Ganymede from December 2034 to September 2035 [6].
The study of Jupiter and its moons will provide new insights about the formation of gas giants and planetary systems at large. Additionally, the mission aims to tease out signs of life and habitability beneath the icy shells of the enormous moons, contributing to the search for extraterrestrial life [7].
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[1] ESA (2021). JUICE spacecraft to test radar during lunar flyby. [online] Available at: https://www.esa.int/news/esa_multimedia/JUICE_spacecraft_to_test_radar_during_lunar_flyby
[2] NASA (2018). Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA). [online] Available at: https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/apollo/lola.html
[3] ESA (2021). JUICE prepares for lunar flyby. [online] Available at: https://www.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/2021/05/JUICE_prepares_for_lunar_flyby
[4] ESA (2021). JUICE's radar for icy moon exploration tested during lunar flyby. [online] Available at: https://www.esa.int/news/esa_multimedia/JUICE_s_radar_for_icy_moon_exploration_tested_during_lunar_flyby
[5] ESA (2021). JUICE's RIME instrument tested during lunar flyby. [online] Available at: https://www.esa.int/news/esa_multimedia/JUICE_s_RIME_instrument_tested_during_lunar_flyby
[6] ESA (2021). JUICE mission timeline. [online] Available at: https://www.esa.int/missions/JUICE/JUICE_mission_timeline
[7] ESA (2021). JUICE. [online] Available at: https://www.esa.int/missions/JUICE
- The successful test of RIME, the crucial instrument aboard the European Space Agency's JUICE spacecraft, at the Anders' Earthrise crater on the Moon, serves as a significant step in advancing the study of environmental-science, particularly in understanding the subsurface depths of icy bodies like Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.
- The lunar test of RIME also contributes to the broader field of space-and-astronomy, as it aids in refining the operational algorithms for radar measurements, thereby reducing electronic interference from the spacecraft.
- As JUICE continues its mission, the data gathered by RIME will further our understanding of the history of planetary systems, including the formation of gas giants, and potentially uncover signs of life and habitability beneath the icy shells of Jupiter's moons, contributing to the ongoing search for extraterrestrial life.
