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Exploring Jupiter

Juno, Nasa's mission to Jupiter, is still gathering data on the gas giant, a decade after it was launched.

August 2021 marks ten years since Nasa’s mission to Jupiter, Juno, was launched. The mission – to uncover the mysteries surrounding Jupiter’s formation – was expected to end this year with the $1.1 billion satellite deorbiting into the planet’s gassy atmosphere. But thanks to the ingenuity of its engineering, the robust spacecraft has surpassed expectations and been granted an extension to its life.

The Sky at Night looks at the amazing research that has resulted from this mission, expanding our understanding of the gas giant and explaining how Juno will now use its extra time in orbit to gather information for future Jupiter-bound missions – Nasa’s Europa Clipper and the European Space Agency’s Juice mission.

29 minutes

Clip

Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • 00:04

    Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Thomas Beecham

    At The Castle Gate From Pelleas and Melisande (The Sky At Night) (1955)

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Chris Lintott
Presenter Maggie Aderin-Pocock
Presenter Pete Lawrence
Production Coordinator Carisse Perks
Assistant Producer Raquel Taylor
Production Manager Kassi Murphy
Executive Producer Steve Crabtree
Series Producer Peter Leonard

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