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110-557: As of May 2021, there have been six successful robotically operated Mars rovers; the first five, managed by the American NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory , were (by date of Mars landing): Sojourner (1997), Spirit (2004–2010), Opportunity (2004–2018), Curiosity (2012–present), and Perseverance (2021–present). The sixth, managed by the China National Space Administration ,

220-552: A Jupiter-C rocket. They carried out three successful sub-orbital flights in 1956 and 1957. Using a spare Juno I (a modified Jupiter-C with a fourth stage), the two organizations then launched the United States' first satellite, Explorer 1 , on January 31, 1958. This significant achievement marked a new era for JPL and the US in the space race. Less than a year later in December 1958, JPL

330-418: A hyperbolic flyby to an elliptical , polar orbit with a period of about 53.5 days. The spacecraft successfully entered Jovian orbit on July 5, 2016, at 03:53 UTC. Juno 's highly elliptical initial polar orbit takes it within 4,200 km (2,600 mi) of the planet and out to 8.1 × 10 ^  km (5.0 × 10 ^  mi), far beyond Callisto 's orbit. An eccentricity -reducing burn, called

440-409: A close flyby of Saturn 's moon Titan . The spacecraft sent back detailed images and data from both gas giants, revolutionizing our understanding of these distant worlds. The Voyager 2 spacecraft followed a more extensive trajectory, conducting flybys of not just Jupiter and Saturn, but also Uranus and Neptune. These encounters provided firsthand data from all four gas giants, offering insights into

550-502: A disaster or terrorist attack. FINDER uses microwave radar to detect breathing and pulses. Additionally, JPL is home to the JPL-RPIF (Jet Propulsion Laboratory – Regional Planetary Image Facility) which is chartered as a repository for all robotic spacecraft hard-copy data and thus provides a valuable resource to NASA funded science investigators, and an important conduit for the distribution of NASA generated materials to local educators in

660-434: A distance of 352 km (219 mi). Juno performed two flybys of Io on December 30, 2023, and February 3, 2024, gathering observational data on volcanic activity. From April 2024, Juno will begin a series of experiments to learn more about Jupiter's interior shape and structure. NASA originally planned to deorbit the spacecraft into the atmosphere of Jupiter after completing 32 orbits of Jupiter, but has since extended

770-509: A distance of 5 a.u. from the Sun . The Juno spacecraft uses three solar panels symmetrically arranged around the spacecraft. Shortly after it cleared Earth's atmosphere, the panels were deployed. Two of the panels have four hinged segments each, and the third panel has three segments and a magnetometer . Each panel is 2.7 by 8.9 m (8 ft 10 in by 29 ft 2 in) providing 50 square metres (540 sq ft) of active cells –

880-586: A flyby of Ganymede on June 7, 2021. Subsequent flybys of Europa and then Io will further decrease the orbital period to 33 days by February 2024. During the science mission, infrared and microwave instruments will measure the thermal radiation emanating from deep within Jupiter's atmosphere . These observations will complement previous studies of its composition by assessing the abundance and distribution of water, and therefore oxygen. This data will provide insight into Jupiter's origins. Juno will also investigate

990-596: A gap in the radiation envelope near the planet, passing through a region of minimal radiation. The " Juno Radiation Vault ", with 1-centimeter-thick titanium walls (three times as thick as the Galileo spacecraft body's), also aids in protecting Juno 's electronics by reducing the incoming radiation by a factor of 800. Despite the intense radiation, JunoCam and the Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) are expected to endure at least eight orbits, while

1100-577: A kilometer or more in diameter that cross Earth's orbit by 2013. Entering the 2010s and 2020s, JPL continued its Mars exploration with the Curiosity rover and the Mars 2020 mission, which included the Perseverance rover and the retired Ingenuity helicopter . Perseverance's core objective was to collect samples for a future Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission. In addition, JPL ventured into asteroid exploration with

1210-659: A plaque to Jupiter, dedicated to Galileo Galilei . The plaque was provided by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and measures 7.1 by 5.1 cm (2.8 by 2.0 in). It is made of flight-grade aluminum and weighs 6 g (0.21 oz). The plaque depicts a portrait of Galileo and a text in Galileo's own handwriting, penned in January 1610, while observing what would later be known to be the Galilean moons . The text translates as: On

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1320-589: A resident office at the facility staffed by federal managers who oversee JPL's activities and work for NASA. There are also some Caltech graduate students , college student interns and co-op students. The JPL Education Office serves educators and students by providing them with activities, resources, materials and opportunities tied to NASA missions and science. The mission of its programs is to introduce and further students' interest in pursuing STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) careers. JPL offers research, internship and fellowship opportunities in

1430-494: A small, alcohol-fueled motor to gather data for Malina's graduate thesis. Malina's thesis advisor was engineer/aerodynamicist Theodore von Kármán , who eventually secured U.S. Army financial support for this "GALCIT Rocket Project" in 1939. In the early years of the project, work was primarily focused on the development of rocket technology. In 1941, Malina, Parsons, Forman, Martin Summerfield , and pilot Homer Bushey demonstrated

1540-505: A smaller part of JPL's overall budget, they are integral to fulfilling the diverse set of objectives that these federal agencies oversee. In fiscal year 2022, the laboratory's budget was approximately $ 2.4 billion, with the largest share going to Planetary Science development. In 2024, due to budget misappropriation in Mars Sample Return (MSR), the lab slashed approximately 1000 workers and contractors in preparation to make wave for

1650-554: A total distance of roughly 2.8 × 10 ^  km (19 AU; 1.7 × 10 ^  mi) to reach Jupiter. The spacecraft was designed to orbit Jupiter 37 times over the course of its mission. This was originally planned to take 20 months. Juno 's trajectory used a gravity assist speed boost from Earth, accomplished by an Earth flyby in October 2013, two years after its launch on August 5, 2011. The spacecraft performed an orbit insertion burn to slow it enough to allow capture. It

1760-430: A veil of clouds around himself to hide his mischief, and his wife, the goddess Juno , was able to peer through the clouds and reveal Jupiter's true nature. A NASA compilation of mission names and acronyms referred to the mission by the backronym Jupiter Near-polar Orbiter . However the project itself has consistently described it as a name with mythological associations and not an acronym. The spacecraft's current name

1870-458: A year on a Saturday and Sunday in May or June, when the public was invited to tour the facilities and see live demonstrations of JPL science and technology. More limited private tours are also available throughout the year if scheduled well in advance. Thousands of schoolchildren from Southern California and elsewhere visit the lab every year. Due to federal spending cuts mandated by budget sequestration ,

1980-552: Is Zhurong (2021–2022). On January 24, 2016, NASA reported that then current studies on Mars by Opportunity and Curiosity would be searching for evidence of ancient life, including a biosphere based on autotrophic , chemotrophic or chemolithoautotrophic microorganisms , as well as ancient water, including fluvio-lacustrine environments ( plains related to ancient rivers or lakes ) that may have been habitable . The search for evidence of habitability , taphonomy (related to fossils ), and organic carbon on Mars

2090-603: Is a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) in La Cañada Flintridge, California , Crescenta Valley, United States. Founded in 1936 by Caltech researchers, the laboratory is now owned and sponsored by NASA and administered and managed by the California Institute of Technology . The primary function of the laboratory is the construction and operation of planetary robotic spacecraft , though it also conducts Earth-orbit and astronomy missions. It

2200-859: Is also responsible for operating the NASA Deep Space Network (DSN). Among the major active projects at the laboratory, some are the Mars 2020 mission, which includes the Perseverance rover; the Mars Science Laboratory mission, including the Curiosity rover; the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter ; the Juno spacecraft orbiting Jupiter ; the SMAP satellite for Earth surface soil moisture monitoring;

2310-514: Is given annually to an individual or organization that has made significant contributions to public awareness of space programs, in 1998; and with the John L. "Jack" Swigert, Jr., Award for Space Exploration on three occasions – in 2009 (as part of NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander Team ), 2006 and 2005. When it was founded, JPL's site was immediately west of a rocky flood-plain – the Arroyo Seco riverbed – above

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2420-661: Is in reference to the Roman goddess Juno . Juno is sometimes called the New Frontiers 2 as the second mission in the New Frontiers program, but is not to be confused with New Horizons 2 , a proposed but unselected New Frontiers mission. Juno was selected on June 9, 2005, as the next New Frontiers mission after New Horizons . The desire for a Jupiter probe was strong in the years prior to this, but there had not been any approved missions. The Discovery Program had passed over

2530-502: Is now a primary NASA objective. The Soviet probes, Mars 2 and Mars 3 , were physically tethered probes; Sojourner was dependent on the Mars Pathfinder base station for communication with Earth; Opportunity , Spirit and Curiosity were on their own. As of November 2023, Curiosity is still active, while Spirit , Opportunity , and Sojourner completed their missions before losing contact. On February 18, 2021, Perseverance ,

2640-450: Is subject to annual fluctuations based on both the federal allocation to NASA and the life cycle of ongoing projects. High-profile missions may receive significant long-term funding commitments, whereas smaller or shorter-term projects may have more modest financial support. These agencies often commission projects that leverage JPL's unique expertise in areas like remote sensing , robotics, and systems engineering. Although these projects form

2750-629: Is to establish a map of the distribution of mass inside Jupiter. The uneven distribution of mass in Jupiter induces small variations in gravity all along the orbit followed by the probe when it runs closer to the surface of the planet. These gravity variations drive small probe velocity changes. The purpose of radio science is to detect the Doppler effect on radio broadcasts issued by Juno toward Earth in Ka-band and X-band , which are frequency ranges that can conduct

2860-461: The Caltech lawyers representing the laboratory, allege that Coppedge's termination was simply due to budget cuts and his demotion from team lead was because of harassment complaints and from on-going conflicts with his co-workers. Superior Court Judge Ernest Hiroshige issued a final ruling in favor of JPL on January 16, 2013. Juno (spacecraft) Juno is a NASA space probe orbiting

2970-463: The Juno science team to test some instruments and practice certain procedures before the arrival at Jupiter. Jupiter's gravity accelerated the approaching spacecraft to around 210,000 km/h (130,000 mph). On July 5, 2016, between 03:18 and 03:53 UTC Earth-received time , an insertion burn lasting 2,102 seconds decelerated Juno by 542 m/s (1,780 ft/s) and changed its trajectory from

3080-535: The Juno spacecraft includes a flight computer capable of providing about 50 Mbit/s of instrument throughput. Gravity science subsystems use the X-band and K a -band Doppler tracking and autoranging. Due to telecommunications constraints, Juno will only be able to return about 40 megabytes of JunoCam data during each 11-day orbital period, limiting the number of images that are captured and transmitted during each orbit to somewhere between 10 and 100 depending on

3190-534: The Los Angeles Superior Court took opening statements on the case in which former JPL employee David Coppedge brought suit against the lab due to workplace discrimination and wrongful termination. In the suit, Coppedge alleges that he first lost his "team lead" status on JPL's Cassini-Huygens mission in 2009 and then was fired in 2011 because of his evangelical Christian beliefs and specifically his belief in intelligent design . Conversely, JPL, through

3300-607: The Moon that paved the way for the Apollo program . JPL proved itself a leader in interplanetary exploration with the Mariner missions to Venus , Mars , and Mercury , returning valuable data about our neighboring planets. Additionally, JPL was early to employ female mathematicians. In the 1940s and 1950s, using mechanical calculators, women in an all-female computations group performed trajectory calculations. In 1961, JPL hired Dana Ulery as

3410-684: The NuSTAR X-ray telescope ; and the Psyche asteroid orbiter. It is also responsible for managing the JPL Small-Body Database , and provides physical data and lists of publications for all known small Solar System bodies . JPL's Space Flight Operations Facility and Twenty-Five-Foot Space Simulator are designated National Historic Landmarks . JPL traces its beginnings to 1936 in the Guggenheim Aeronautical Laboratory at

Mars rover - Misplaced Pages Continue

3520-531: The OSIRIS-REx mission which returned a sample from asteroid Bennu . As JPL moves forward, its focus remains on diverse interplanetary and even interstellar missions. Future Mars missions will aim to return the samples collected by the Perseverance rover back to Earth. Additionally, JPL's Europa Clipper mission launched in 2024 to study Jupiter's moon Europa , believed to harbor a subsurface ocean. Building on

3630-616: The Planetary Science Institute . Jack Connerney of the Goddard Space Flight Center served as instrument lead. Juno was originally proposed at a cost of approximately US$ 700 million (fiscal year 2003) for a launch in June 2009 (equivalent to US$ 1159 million in 2023). NASA budgetary restrictions resulted in postponement until August 2011, and a launch on board an Atlas V rocket in the 551 configuration . As of 2019

3740-506: The United States Geological Survey (USGS), and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). Occasionally, JPL engages in joint missions or research endeavors with international space agencies or research institutions. While these partnerships contribute a relatively small portion of JPL's overall budget, they serve to enhance the scope and impact of its scientific research and technological development. The total budget for JPL

3850-561: The Voyager program , Ulysses , Cassini–Huygens , New Horizons , and the Galileo orbiter . It is also the farthest solar-powered trip in the history of space exploration. Once in orbit around Jupiter, Juno receives only 4% as much sunlight as it would on Earth , but the global shortage of plutonium-238 at the time, as well as advances made in solar cell technology over the past several decades, makes it economically preferable to use solar panels of practical size to provide power at

3960-723: The White Sands Proving Ground , Edwards Air Force Base , and Goldstone, California . In 1954, JPL teamed up with Wernher von Braun 's engineers at the Army Ballistic Missile Agency 's Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama , to propose orbiting a satellite during the International Geophysical Year . The team lost that proposal to Project Vanguard , and instead embarked on a classified project to demonstrate ablative re-entry technology using

4070-492: The convection that drives natural circulation patterns in Jupiter's atmosphere. Other instruments aboard Juno will gather data about its gravitational field and polar magnetosphere . The Juno mission was planned to conclude in February 2018 after completing 37 orbits of Jupiter, but now has been commissioned through 2025 to do a further 42 additional orbits of Jupiter as well as close flybys of Ganymede, Europa and Io. The probe

4180-526: The failure of its high gain antenna . The communication system is also used as part of the Gravity Science experiment. Juno uses a LEROS 1b main engine with hypergolic propellant , manufactured by Moog Inc in Westcott, Buckinghamshire , England. It uses approx. 2,000 kg (4,400 lb) of hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide for propulsion, including 1,232 kg (2,716 lb) available for

4290-431: The inner Solar System , whereas radioisotope thermoelectric generators are commonly used for missions to the outer Solar System and beyond. For Juno , however, the three largest solar panel wings ever deployed on a planetary probe (at the time of launching) play an integral role in stabilizing the spacecraft as well as generating power. Juno 's name comes from Greek and Roman mythology . The god Jupiter drew

4400-406: The microwave range: 600 MHz , 1.2, 2.4, 4.8, 9.6 and 22 GHz, the only microwave frequencies which are able to pass through the thick Jovian atmosphere. The radiometer will measure the abundance of water and ammonia in the deep layers of the atmosphere up to 200 bar (20 MPa; 2,900 psi) pressure or 500–600 km (310–370 mi) deep. The combination of different wavelengths and

4510-446: The 11th it was in this formation – and the star closest to Jupiter was half the size than the other and very close to the other so that during the previous nights all of the three observed stars looked of the same dimension and among them equally afar; so that it is evident that around Jupiter there are three moving stars invisible till this time to everyone. The spacecraft also carries three Lego minifigures representing Galileo Galilei,

Mars rover - Misplaced Pages Continue

4620-499: The California Institute of Technology (GALCIT) when the first set of United States rocket experiments were carried out in the Arroyo Seco . This initial venture involved Caltech graduate students Frank Malina , Qian Xuesen , Weld Arnold and Apollo M. O. Smith , along with Jack Parsons and Edward S. Forman , often referred to as the "Suicide Squad" due to the dangerous nature of their experiments. Together, they tested

4730-478: The Centaur stage used onboard reaction engines to spin Juno up to 1.4 r.p.m. About 54 minutes after launch, the spacecraft separated from the Centaur and began to extend its solar panels . Following the full deployment and locking of the solar panels, Juno 's batteries began to recharge. Deployment of the solar panels reduced Juno 's spin rate by two-thirds. The probe is spun to ensure stability during

4840-498: The Department of Commerce, claiming their constitutional rights were being violated by the new, overly invasive background investigations. 97% of JPL employees were classified at the low-risk level and would be subjected to the same clearance procedures as those obtaining moderate/high risk clearance. Under HSPD 12 and FIPS 201, investigators have the right to obtain any information on employees, which includes questioning acquaintances on

4950-556: The Devil's Gate dam in the northwestern panhandle of the city of Pasadena in Southern California , near Los Angeles . While the first few buildings were constructed in land bought from the city of Pasadena, subsequent buildings were constructed in neighboring unincorporated land that later became part of La Cañada Flintridge . Nowadays, most of the 168 acres (68 ha) of the U.S. federal government -owned NASA property that makes up

5060-584: The JPL campus is located in La Cañada Flintridge. Despite this, JPL still uses a Pasadena address (4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109) as its official mailing address. There has been occasional rivalry between the two cities over the issue of which one should be mentioned in the media as the home of the laboratory. After the 2024 layoffs, there are only approximately 5,500 full-time Caltech employees and contractors working on any given day. NASA also has

5170-554: The Jupiter Orbit Insertion plus subsequent orbital maneuvers. The engine provides a thrust of 645 newtons . The engine bell is enclosed in a debris shield fixed to the spacecraft body, and is used for major burns. For control of the vehicle's orientation ( attitude control ) and to perform trajectory correction maneuvers, Juno utilizes a monopropellant reaction control system (RCS) consisting of twelve small thrusters that are mounted on four engine modules. Juno carries

5280-519: The Los Angeles/southern California area. The predominant source of JPL's financial support is NASA. As a field center of NASA, JPL's primary activities and projects are generally aligned with NASA's mission objectives in space exploration, Earth sciences, and astrophysics. The funding allocated to JPL comes as a portion of NASA's annual budget, which is itself part of the United States federal budget approved by Congress. The scale of

5390-648: The Microwave Radiometer (MWR) should endure at least eleven orbits. Although the flux of electrons close to Jupiter is about ten times as high as it is around Jupiter's moon Europa, Juno will still receive a lower total dose of radiation in its polar orbit (20 mrad through end of mission) than the Galileo orbiter received in its equatorial orbit. Galileo 's subsystems were damaged by radiation during its mission, including an LED in its data recording system. The spacecraft completed its first flyby of Jupiter ( perijove 1) on August 26, 2016, and captured

5500-500: The NASA Museum Alliance in 2003 out of a desire to provide museums, planetariums, visitor centers and other kinds of informal educators with exhibit materials, professional development and information related to the then-upcoming landings of the Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity . The Alliance now has more than 500 members, who get access to NASA displays, models, educational workshops and networking opportunities through

5610-578: The Ninth Circuit found the process violated the employees' privacy rights and issued a preliminary injunction. NASA appealed and the US Supreme Court granted certiorari on March 8, 2010. On January 19, 2011, the Supreme Court overturned the Ninth Circuit decision, ruling that the background checks did not violate any constitutional privacy right that the employees may have had. On March 12, 2012,

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5720-469: The Period Reduction Maneuver, was planned that would drop the probe into a much shorter 14 day science orbit. Originally, Juno was expected to complete 37 orbits over 20 months before the end of its mission. Due to problems with helium valves that are important during main engine burns, mission managers announced on February 17, 2017, that Juno would remain in its original 53-day orbit, since

5830-425: The Roman god Jupiter , and his sister and wife, the goddess Juno . In Roman mythology, Jupiter drew a veil of clouds around himself to hide his mischief. Juno was able to peer through the clouds and reveal Jupiter's true nature. The Juno minifigure holds a magnifying glass as a sign of searching for the truth, and Jupiter holds a lightning bolt. The third Lego crew member, Galileo Galilei, has his telescope with him on

5940-500: The Sun to gather the most power. Due to this, no science operations were conducted during perijove 2. On December 11, 2016, the spacecraft completed perijove 3, with all but one instrument operating and returning data. One instrument, JIRAM, was off pending a flight software update. Perijove 4 occurred on February 2, 2017, with all instruments operating. Perijove 5 occurred on March 27, 2017. Perijove 6 took place on May 19, 2017. Although

6050-592: The Voyager program's success, JPL continues to push the boundaries of deep-space exploration. The Interstellar Probe concept, though not yet formalized, proposes to send a spacecraft ten times the distance from the Sun as Pluto, to explore the interstellar medium and the outermost reaches of our solar system. JPL has been recognized four times by the Space Foundation : with the Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Award, which

6160-444: The amount of water present within the deep atmosphere, mass distribution , and its deep winds, which can reach speeds up to 620 km/h (390 mph). Juno is the second spacecraft to orbit Jupiter, after the nuclear powered Galileo orbiter , which orbited from 1995 to 2003. Unlike all earlier spacecraft sent to the outer planets, Juno is powered by solar panels , commonly used by satellites orbiting Earth and working in

6270-461: The aurora of Jupiter. On JADE, like JEDI, the electron analyzers are installed on three sides of the upper plate which allows a measure of frequency three times higher. (Principal investigator: David McComas , Southwest Research Institute ) The energetic particle detector JEDI will measure the angular distribution and the velocity vector of ions and electrons at high energy (ions between 20 keV and 1 MeV, electrons from 40 to 500 keV) present in

6380-422: The auroral region. It will also observe the interactions between Jupiter's atmosphere and magnetosphere . The instrument consists of two antennae that detect radio and plasma waves. (Principal investigator: William Kurth, University of Iowa ) UVS will record the wavelength, position and arrival time of detected ultraviolet photons during the time when the spectrograph slit views Jupiter during each turn of

6490-473: The budget is contingent on the projects that JPL undertakes as missions can range from flagship interplanetary missions costing billions of U.S. dollars to smaller Earth observation systems with budgets in the hundreds of millions. Aside from NASA, JPL secures funding for specialized projects from other federal agencies, including but not limited to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

6600-446: The chance of an engine misfire putting the spacecraft into a bad orbit was too high. Juno completed only 12 science orbits before the end of its budgeted mission plan, ending July 2018. In June 2018, NASA extended the mission through July 2021, as described below. The orbits were carefully planned in order to minimize contact with Jupiter's dense radiation belts , which can damage spacecraft electronics and solar panels, by exploiting

6710-431: The compression level used. The overall amount of data downlinked on each orbit is significantly higher and used for the mission's scientific instruments; JunoCam is intended for public outreach and is thus secondary to the science data. This is comparable to the previous Galileo mission that orbited Jupiter, which captured thousands of images despite its slow data rate of 1000 bit/s (at maximum compression level) due to

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6820-510: The diversity of organizations you represent." The NASA/JPL Educator Resource Center, which is moving from its location at the Indian Hill Mall in Pomona, California, at the end of 2013, offers resources, materials and free workshops for formal and informal educators covering science, technology, engineering and science topics related to NASA missions and science. The lab had an open house once

6930-429: The emission angle should make it possible to obtain a temperature profile at various levels of the atmosphere. The data collected will determine how deep the atmospheric circulation is. The MWR is designed to function through orbit 11 of Jupiter. (Principal investigator: Mike Janssen, Jet Propulsion Laboratory ) The spectrometer mapper JIRAM, operating in the near infrared (between 2 and 5 μm), conducts surveys in

7040-418: The end of the mission, except for short periods during the operation of the main engine and eclipses by Jupiter. A central power distribution and drive unit monitors the power that is generated by the solar panels and distributes it to instruments, heaters, and experiment sensors, as well as to batteries that are charged when excess power is available. Two 55 Ah lithium-ion batteries that are able to withstand

7150-540: The first female engineer to work alongside male engineers as part of the Ranger and Mariner mission tracking teams. Building on the momentum from the successes of the 1960s and early 1970s, JPL initiated an era of deep space exploration in the late 1970s and 1980s. The highlight of this period was the launch of the twin Voyager spacecraft in 1977. Initially set on a trajectory to explore Jupiter and its moon Io, Voyager 1 's mission parameters were adjusted to also provide

7260-507: The first images of the planet's north pole. On October 14, 2016, days prior to perijove 2 and the planned Period Reduction Maneuver, telemetry showed that some of Juno 's helium valves were not opening properly. On October 18, 2016, some 13 hours before its second close approach to Jupiter, Juno entered into safe mode , an operational mode engaged when its onboard computer encounters unexpected conditions. The spacecraft powered down all non-critical systems and reoriented itself to face

7370-573: The first jet-assisted takeoff ( JATO ) rockets to the Army. In 1943, von Kármán, Malina, Parsons, and Forman established the Aerojet Corporation to manufacture JATO rockets. The project took on the name Jet Propulsion Laboratory in November 1943, formally becoming an Army facility operated under contract by the university. In the same year, Qian and two of his colleagues drafted the first document to use

7480-535: The first successful Mars rover, Sojourner , demonstrating the feasibility of mobile exploration on the Martian surface. In 2004, the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity , landed on Mars. Opportunity outlived its expected lifespan by 14 years, providing a wealth of scientific data and setting the stage for future Mars missions. In the 2000s and 2010s, JPL broadened its exploration scope, including

7590-475: The first views of Jupiter's north pole, as well as providing insight about Jupiter's aurorae, magnetic field, and atmosphere. In 2021, analysis of the frequency of interplanetary dust impacts (primarily on the backs of the solar panels), as Juno passed between Earth and the asteroid belt, indicated that this dust, which causes the Zodiacal light , comes from Mars , rather than from comets or asteroids that come from

7700-486: The five strap-on solid rocket boosters (SRBs) ignited. Following the SRB burnout, about 93 seconds into the flight, two of the spent boosters fell away from the vehicle, followed 1.5 seconds later by the remaining three. When heating levels had dropped below predetermined limits, the payload fairing that protected Juno during launch and transit through the thickest part of the atmosphere separated, about 3 minutes 24 seconds into

7810-495: The flight. The Atlas V main engine cut off 4 minutes 26 seconds after liftoff. Sixteen seconds later, the Centaur second stage ignited, and it burned for about 6 minutes, putting the satellite into an initial parking orbit . The vehicle coasted for about 30 minutes, and then the Centaur was reignited for a second firing of 9 minutes, placing the spacecraft on an Earth escape trajectory in a heliocentric orbit . Prior to separation,

7920-459: The instruments during their mission in space. The science instruments are chosen and designed based on the science objectives and goals. The primary goal of the Spirit and Opportunity rovers was to investigate "the history of water on Mars". The four science goals of NASA's long-term Mars Exploration Program are: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory The Jet Propulsion Laboratory ( JPL )

8030-474: The journey. The figurines were produced in partnership between NASA and Lego as part of an outreach program to inspire children's interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Although most Lego toys are made of plastic, Lego specially made these minifigures of aluminum to endure the extreme conditions of space flight. Among early results, Juno gathered information about Jovian lightning that revised earlier theories. Juno provided

8140-568: The laboratory developed two significant deployed weapon systems, the MGM-5 Corporal and MGM-29 Sergeant intermediate-range ballistic missiles, marking the first US ballistic missiles developed at JPL. It also developed several other weapons system prototypes, such as the Loki anti-aircraft missile system, and the forerunner of the Aerobee sounding rocket. At various times, it carried out rocket testing at

8250-458: The largest on any NASA deep-space probe at the time of launching. The combined mass of the three panels is nearly 340 kg (750 lb). If the panels were optimized to operate at Earth, they would produce 12 to 14 kilowatts of power. Only about 486 watts were generated when Juno arrived at Jupiter, projected to decline to near 420 watts as radiation degrades the cells. The solar panels will remain in sunlight continuously from launch through

8360-540: The launch of missions to study the outer planets, like the Juno mission to Jupiter and the Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn. Concurrently, JPL also began to focus on Earth science missions, developing satellite technology to study climate change, weather patterns, and natural phenomena on Earth. JPL also opened the Near-Earth Object Program Office for NASA in 1998, which had found 95% of asteroids

8470-670: The magnetic field, determining the dynamics of Jupiter's interior, and determination of the three-dimensional structure of the polar magnetosphere. The magnetometer experiment consists of the Flux Gate Magnetometer ( FGM ), which will observe the strength and direction of the magnetic field lines, and the Advanced Stellar Compass ( ASC ), which will monitor the orientation of the magnetometer sensors. (Principal investigator: Jack Connerney, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center ) The purpose of measuring gravity by radio waves

8580-537: The mission and the Lockheed Martin Corporation was responsible for the spacecraft development and construction. The mission is being carried out with the participation of several institutional partners. Coinvestigators include Toby Owen of the University of Hawaii , Andrew Ingersoll of California Institute of Technology , Frances Bagenal of the University of Colorado at Boulder , and Candy Hansen of

8690-443: The mission operations plan to July 2021. In January 2021, NASA extended the mission operations to September 2025. In this phase Juno began to examine Jupiter's inner moons, Ganymede , Europa and Io. A flyby of Ganymede occurred on June 7, 2021, 17:35 UTC , coming within 1,038 km (645 mi), the closest any spacecraft has come to the moon since Galileo in 2000. A flyby of Europa took place on September 29, 2022, at

8800-577: The mission to September 2025. The controlled deorbit is intended to eliminate space debris and risks of contamination in accordance with NASA's planetary protection guidelines. Scott Bolton of the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio , Texas is the principal investigator and is responsible for all aspects of the mission. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California manages

8910-470: The mission was projected to cost US$ 1.46 billion for operations and data analysis through 2022. The Juno spacecraft's suite of science instruments will: The Juno mission's scientific objectives are being achieved with a payload of nine instruments on board the spacecraft: The microwave radiometer comprises six antennas mounted on two of the sides of the body of the probe. They will perform measurements of electromagnetic waves on frequencies in

9020-502: The mission's lifetime is inherently limited by radiation exposure, almost all of this dose was planned to be acquired during the perijoves. As of 2017 , the 53.4 day orbit was planned to be maintained through July 2018 for a total of twelve science-gathering perijoves. At the end of this prime mission, the project was planned to go through a science review process by NASA's Planetary Science Division to determine if it will receive funding for an extended mission. In June 2018, NASA extended

9130-527: The name Jet Propulsion Laboratory. In a NASA conference on the history of early rocketry, Malina wrote that the work of the JPL was "considered to include" the research carried out by the GALCIT Rocket Research Group from 1936 on. In 1944, Parsons was expelled due to his "unorthodox and unsafe working methods" following one of several FBI investigations into his involvement with the occult, drugs and sexual promiscuity. During JPL's Army years,

9240-530: The nature and dynamics of the outer planets. Both Voyager spacecraft, after fulfilling their primary mission objectives, were directed towards interstellar space , carrying with them the Golden Records – phonograph discs containing sounds and images selected to portray the diversity of life on Earth. The 1980s also saw the inception of the Galileo mission which launched in the late 1980s. The Galileo spacecraft

9350-559: The nearby motion picture and television industries, by advising them about scientific accuracy in their productions. Science fiction shows advised by JPL include Babylon 5 and its sequel series, Crusade . JPL also works with the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (DHS-S&T). JPL and DHS-S&T developed a search and rescue tool for first responders called FINDER. First responders can use FINDER to locate people still alive who are buried in rubble after

9460-537: The newest American Mars rover, successfully landed. On May 14, 2021, China's Zhurong became the first non-American rover to successfully operate on Mars. Multiple rovers have been dispatched to Mars: Examples of instruments onboard landed rovers include: Circa the 2010s, NASA had established certain goals for the rover program. NASA distinguishes between "mission" objectives and "science" objectives. Mission objectives are related to progress in space technology and development processes. Science objectives are met by

9570-479: The next fiscal year 2025. There is a tradition at JPL to eat "good luck peanuts " before critical mission events, such as orbital insertions or landings. As the story goes, after the Ranger program had experienced failure after failure during the 1960s, the first successful Ranger mission to impact the Moon occurred after a JPL staff member had decided to pass out peanuts to relieve tension. The staff jokingly decided that

9680-535: The open house has been previously cancelled. JPL open house for 2014 was October 11 and 12 and 2015 was October 10 and 11. Starting from 2016, JPL replaced the annual Open House with "Ticket to Explore JPL", which features the same exhibits but requires tickets and advance reservation. Roboticist and Mars rover driver Vandi Verma frequently acts as science communicator at open house type events to encourage children (and particularly girls) into STEM careers. In addition to its government work, JPL has also assisted

9790-507: The orbit of Mars ) to change its orbit and return to pass by the Earth at a distance of 559 kilometers in October 2013. It used Earth's gravity to help slingshot itself toward the Jovian system in a maneuver called a gravity assist . The spacecraft received a boost in speed of more than 3.9 km/s (8,700 mph), and it was set on a course to Jupiter. The flyby was also used as a rehearsal for

9900-445: The peanuts must have been a good luck charm, and the tradition persisted. These are some of the missions partially sponsored by JPL: The JPL Advanced Projects Design Team, also known as Team X, is an interdisciplinary team of engineers that utilizes "concurrent engineering methodologies to complete rapid design, analysis and evaluation of mission concept designs". On February 25, 2005, Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12

10010-406: The planet Jupiter . It was built by Lockheed Martin and is operated by NASA 's Jet Propulsion Laboratory . The spacecraft was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on August 5, 2011 UTC , as part of the New Frontiers program . Juno entered a polar orbit of Jupiter on July 5, 2016, UTC, to begin a scientific investigation of the planet. After completing its mission, Juno

10120-418: The polar magnetosphere of Jupiter. JEDI has three identical sensors dedicated to the study of particular ions of hydrogen , helium , oxygen and sulfur . (Principal investigator: Barry Mauk, Applied Physics Laboratory ) This instrument will identify the regions of auroral currents that define Jovian radio emissions and acceleration of the auroral particles by measuring the radio and plasma spectra in

10230-716: The program. Staff at educational organizations that meet the Museum Alliance requirements can register to participate online. The Museum Alliance is a subset of the JPL Education Office's Informal Education group, which also serves after-school and summer programs, parents and other kinds of informal educators. On December 9, 2020 , the Museum Alliance officially announced a rebrand to the Museum & Informal Education (MIE) Alliance. In an announcement to members, they said, "Pronounced 'My' Alliance, our new name better reflects

10340-456: The radiation environment of Jupiter provide power when Juno passes through eclipse. Juno uses in-band signaling ("tones") for several critical operations as well as status reporting during cruise mode, but it is expected to be used infrequently. Communications are via the 34 m (112 ft) and 70 m (230 ft) antennas of the NASA Deep Space Network (DSN) utilizing an X-band direct link. The command and data processing of

10450-474: The somewhat similar but more limited Interior Structure and Internal Dynamical Evolution of Jupiter (INSIDE Jupiter) proposal, and the turn-of-the-century era Europa Orbiter was canceled in 2002. The flagship-level Europa Jupiter System Mission was in the works in the early 2000s, but funding issues resulted in it evolving into ESA's Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer . Juno completed a five-year cruise to Jupiter, arriving on July 5, 2016. The spacecraft traveled

10560-448: The spacecraft. The instrument will provide spectral images of the UV auroral emissions in the polar magnetosphere. (Principal investigator: G. Randall Gladstone, Southwest Research Institute ) A visible light camera/telescope, included in the payload to facilitate education and public outreach ; later re-purposed to study the dynamics of Jupiter's clouds, particularly those at the poles. It

10670-439: The status of the employee's mental, emotional, and financial stability. Additionally, if employees depart JPL before the end of the two-year validity of the background check, no investigation ability is terminated; former employees can still be legally monitored. Employees were told that if they did not sign an unlimited waiver of privacy, they would be deemed to have "voluntarily resigned". The United States Court of Appeals for

10780-485: The study with fewer disruptions related to the solar wind or Jupiter 's ionosphere . (Principal investigator: John Anderson, Jet Propulsion Laboratory ; Principal investigator (Juno's Ka-band Translator): Luciano Iess, Sapienza University of Rome ) The energetic particle detector JADE will measure the angular distribution, energy, and the velocity vector of ions and electrons at low energy (ions between 13 eV and 20 KeV, electrons of 200 eV to 40 KeV) present in

10890-525: The summer and throughout the year to high school through postdoctoral and faculty students. (In most cases, students must be U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents to apply, although foreign nationals studying at U.S. universities are eligible for limited programs.) Interns are sponsored through NASA programs, university partnerships and JPL mentors for research opportunities at the laboratory in areas including technology, robotics, planetary science, aerospace engineering, and astrophysics. In August 2013, JPL

11000-480: The upper layers of the atmosphere to a depth of between 50 and 70 km (31 and 43 mi) where the pressure reaches 5 to 7 bar (500 to 700 kPa). JIRAM will provide images of the aurora in the wavelength of 3.4 μm in regions with abundant H 3 ions. By measuring the heat radiated by the atmosphere of Jupiter, JIRAM can determine how clouds with water are flowing beneath the surface. It can also detect methane , water vapor , ammonia and phosphine . It

11110-642: The voyage and so that all instruments on the probe are able to observe Jupiter. The voyage to Jupiter took five years, and included two orbital maneuvers in August and September 2012 and a flyby of the Earth on October 9, 2013. When it reached the Jovian system , Juno had traveled approximately 19 astronomical units (2.8 billion kilometres). After traveling for about a year in an elliptical heliocentric orbit, Juno fired its engine twice in 2012 near aphelion (beyond

11220-587: Was anticipated that it would operate through only eight orbits of Jupiter ending in September 2017 due to the planet's damaging radiation and magnetic field, but as of October 2023 (55 orbits), JunoCam remains operational. (Principal investigator: Michael C. Malin , Malin Space Science Systems ) Juno is the first mission to Jupiter to use solar panels instead of the radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTG) used by Pioneer 10 , Pioneer 11 ,

11330-453: Was approved by the Secretary of Commerce . This was followed by Federal Information Processing Standards 201 ( FIPS 201 ), which specified how the federal government should implement personal identity verification. These specifications led to a need for rebadging to meet the updated requirements. On August 30, 2007, a group of JPL employees filed suit in federal court against NASA, Caltech, and

11440-479: Was designed to study Jupiter and its major moons in detail. Although the probe only entered the gas giant's orbit in the 1990s, its inception and planning during the 1980s signified JPL's continued commitment to deep space exploration. The 1990s and 2000s saw a resurgence in Mars exploration, driven by JPL's Mars Pathfinder and Mars Exploration Rover missions. In 1997, the Mars Pathfinder mission deployed

11550-476: Was expected to make three 53-day orbits before performing another burn on December 11, 2016, that would bring it into a 14-day polar orbit called the Science Orbit. Because of a suspected problem in Juno 's main engine, the burn scheduled on December 11, 2016, was cancelled and Juno remained in its 53-day orbit until the first Ganymede encounter of its Extended Mission. This extended mission began with

11660-643: Was named one of "The 10 Most Awesome College Labs of 2013" by Popular Science, which noted that about 100 students who intern at the laboratory are considered for permanent jobs at JPL after they graduate. The JPL Education Office also hosts the Planetary Science Summer School (PSSS), an annual week-long workshop for graduate and postdoctoral students. The program involves a one-week team design exercise developing an early mission concept study, working with JPL's Advanced Projects Design Team ("Team X") and other concurrent engineering teams. JPL created

11770-411: Was not required that this device meets the radiation resistance requirements. The JIRAM instrument is expected to operate through the eighth orbit of Jupiter. (Principal investigator: Alberto Adriani, Italian National Institute for Astrophysics ) JIRAM's spin-compensation mirror is stuck since PJ44, but the instrument is operational. The magnetic field investigation has three goals: mapping of

11880-400: Was originally planned to be intentionally deorbited into Jupiter's atmosphere, but has since been approved to continue orbiting until contact is lost with the spacecraft. Juno 's mission is to measure Jupiter's composition, gravitational field , magnetic field , and polar magnetosphere . It will also search for clues about how the planet formed, including whether it has a rocky core,

11990-497: Was then intended to be deorbited and burnt up in Jupiter's outer atmosphere to avoid any possibility of impact and biological contamination of one of its moons. Juno was launched atop an Atlas V ( 551 configuration ) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), Florida on August 5, 2011, 16:25:00 UTC. The Atlas V (AV-029) used a Russian-built RD-180 main engine, powered by kerosene and liquid oxygen . The main engine ignited and underwent checkout then, 3.8 seconds later,

12100-454: Was transferred to the newly formed National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). As a result of this transition, JPL became the agency's primary planetary spacecraft center, leading the design and operation of various lunar and interplanetary missions. The transfer to NASA marked the beginning of a "Golden Age" of planetary exploration for JPL in the 1960s and 1970s. JPL engineers designed and operated Ranger and Surveyor missions to

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