Ganymede

JUICE Skims Earth for Gravity Assist on Long Road to Jupiter’s Ocean Worlds

Europe’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, or JUICE, is making a close pass by Earth to gain speed and refine its trajectory toward the Jovian system, where scientists hope to study moons that may harbor the ingredients for life. The flyby is a routine but crucial navigation maneuver that underscores how deep-space missions depend on planetary gravity as much as propulsion.