JUNO PROBE (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: New findings from NASA's Juno probe provide a fuller picture of how widespread the lava lakes are on Jupiter's moon Io.

Juno Probe

• About: JUNO stands as an acronym for Jupiter’s Near-Polar Orbiter, reflecting its mission to explore the largest planet in our solar system.
• Designed by: NASA
• Launch and Journey: Launched in 2011, the Juno spacecraft embarked on a 5-year journey to reach Jupiter, initiating its quest to unravel the mysteries surrounding the gas giant.
• Unprecedented Exploration: Entering Jupiter's orbit on July 4, 2016, Juno became the first spacecraft to delve beneath the planet's dense clouds, shedding light on Jupiter's secrets and offering insights into the solar system's formation.
• Orbital Path: Juno follows an elliptical orbit around Jupiter, completing a circuit every 11 days, passing close over the poles.
• Objectives: Initially designed for a primary mission, Juno's objectives expanded over time, transitioning into a comprehensive Jupiter system explorer with flybys of its moons.
• Mission: Juno's mission goals encompass understanding Jupiter's origin and evolution, locating its solid planetary core, mapping its magnetic field, measuring atmospheric water and ammonia, and observing its auroras.

Lava lakes: These are lakes of molten or solidified lava in volcanic craters or depressions. They may form when a vent or crater becomes partially filled with molten lava. Most lava lakes are comprised of basaltic lavas.