Tag: SWRI

  • Juno spacecraft makes another pass by Jupiter

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    This image of cyclones near Jupiter’s north pole was captured by the JunoCam imager during Friday’s flyby. Credit: NASA/SWRI/MSSS Making its fifth science pass close to Jupiter’s turbulent cloud tops, NASA’s Juno spacecraft sailed by the solar system’s king planet Friday to collect another treasure trove of data on the giant world’s atmosphere, internal structure,…

  • Juno orbiter races by Jupiter on fourth science pass

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    This enhanced-color image of a mysterious dark spot on Jupiter seems to reveal a Jovian “galaxy” of swirling storms. The JunoCam imager acquired this image during Juno’s flyby Feb. 2 from an altitude of about 9,000 miles (14,500 kilometers). Citizen scientist Roman Tkachenko enhanced the color to bring out the rich detail in the storm and…

  • NASA’s Juno spacecraft to remain in current orbit around Jupiter

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    Artist’s concept of the Juno spacecraft at Jupiter. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Concerns about the health of the Juno spacecraft’s main engine have compelled NASA managers to keep the research probe in its current arcing, high-altitude orbit around Jupiter, a decision that will delay the full science return from the $1.1 billion mission but should still allow…

  • Juno dives over Jupiter’s cloud tops with main engine still offline

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    Updated at 3:30 p.m. EST with additional comments from Scott Bolton. This amateur-processed image was taken on Dec. 11, 2016, at 9:27 a.m. PST (12:27 p.m. EST), as NASA’s Juno spacecraft performed its third close flyby of Jupiter. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Eric Jorgensen NASA’s Juno spacecraft made a high-speed pass less than 3,000 miles over Jupiter’s turbulent…

  • Study shows Pluto should be counted among solar system’s ocean worlds

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    The expanse of Sputnik Planitia, the bright region visible in this image of Pluto, might cover an ocean of slushy water-ice. Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI Scientists believe they can explain how an ocean of water is lurking beneath an ice sheet inside Pluto’s prominent heart-shaped region, an iconic frozen landscape discovered during the New Horizons spacecraft’s flyby…

  • Juno recovers from reboot, but propulsion problem lingers

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    Artist’s concept of the Juno spacecraft at Jupiter. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech NASA’s Juno spacecraft will stay in its current long-period orbit around Jupiter until at least February, and perhaps longer, as engineers study balky valves inside the science probe’s propulsion system and an unexpected computer reboot that interrupted key functions of the orbiter earlier this month.…

  • Mission managers keeping Juno in elongated orbit until December

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    Artist’s concept of the solar-powered Juno spacecraft at Jupiter. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Ground teams are buying more time to study two sluggish valves inside the Juno spacecraft’s fuel pressurization system and postponing a major engine burn that was scheduled for next week to reshape the probe’s orbit around Jupiter, officials said Friday. The rocket burn was…

  • Juno gets its closest look at Jupiter

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    Updated with details from NASA press release. Jupiter’s north polar region is coming into view as NASA’s Juno spacecraft approaches the giant planet. This view of Jupiter was taken on August 27, when Juno was 437,000 miles (703,000 kilometers) away.Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS Nearly two months after NASA’s Juno spacecraft slipped into orbit around Jupiter, the solar-powered…

  • Researchers eager for Juno’s first chance for Jupiter science

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    Animation of Juno 14-day Orbits Starting in late 2016. Juno is currently in an even larger 53-day orbit. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech NASA’s Juno spacecraft fine-tuned its orbit around Jupiter this week, helping steer the spinning space probe on a course to dip beneath the giant planet’s radiation belts in late August for the first time with…

  • Juno spacecraft braves the unknown at Jupiter to enter orbit

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    NASA’s Juno spacecraft, spinning once every 12 seconds for stability, fired its main engine for more than 35 minutes Monday to brake into orbit around Jupiter. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Setting up post at the king of planets, NASA’s Juno spacecraft fired its main engine for 35 minutes Monday, steering into orbit around Jupiter to peer inside…