# Juno

> NASA spacecraft orbiting the planet Jupiter

**Wikidata**: [Q48546](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q48546)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juno_(spacecraft))  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/juno

## Summary
Juno is a NASA space probe orbiting Jupiter, launched on August 5, 2011, as part of the New Frontiers program. It studies Jupiter's composition, gravity field, magnetic field, and polar magnetosphere to understand the planet's formation and evolution.

## Key Facts
- Launched on August 5, 2011, at 16:25:00 UTC from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 41
- Weighs 3,625 kg at launch (1,593 kg zero-fuel weight)
- Powered by three solar arrays providing 435 watts of power
- Reached Jupiter orbit on July 5, 2016, after a gravity assist flyby of Earth on October 9, 2013
- Operates in a polar orbit with 90-degree inclination around Jupiter
- Manufactured by Lockheed Martin Space and operated by Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- Part of NASA's New Frontiers program, following New Horizons and preceding OSIRIS-REx
- Has a 3.5-meter diameter and height, with a 3D model available as STL file

## FAQs
### Q: What is Juno's mission at Jupiter?
A: Juno studies Jupiter's composition, gravity field, magnetic field, and polar magnetosphere to understand the planet's formation and evolution. It orbits Jupiter in a polar orbit, making close passes to collect data about the gas giant's internal structure and atmospheric dynamics.

### Q: How does Juno get its power so far from the Sun?
A: Juno uses three large solar arrays that generate 435 watts of power, making it the first solar-powered spacecraft to operate at Jupiter's distance from the Sun. This was a significant engineering achievement, as Jupiter receives only about 4% of the sunlight that reaches Earth.

### Q: What makes Juno different from other Jupiter missions?
A: Juno is the first spacecraft to orbit Jupiter's poles rather than its equator, allowing it to study the planet's polar magnetosphere and auroras. It also carries instruments to peer beneath Jupiter's cloud cover and investigate the planet's deep interior structure.

## Why It Matters
Juno represents a major advancement in our understanding of Jupiter and the early solar system. By studying Jupiter's composition, gravity field, and magnetic field, Juno helps scientists determine whether Jupiter has a solid core and how the planet formed. This information is crucial for understanding the formation of our solar system and the processes that led to the development of gas giants. Juno's polar orbit provides unprecedented views of Jupiter's poles and allows scientists to study the planet's powerful auroras and magnetosphere in detail. The mission has revealed new insights about Jupiter's atmospheric dynamics, including massive polar cyclones and deep jet streams. Juno's success demonstrates the viability of solar power for deep space missions, potentially reducing costs for future outer solar system exploration. The data collected by Juno continues to reshape our understanding of planetary formation and evolution, with implications for studying exoplanets and understanding the diversity of planetary systems throughout the universe.

## Notable For
- First solar-powered spacecraft to operate at Jupiter's distance from the Sun
- First mission to orbit Jupiter's poles, providing unique views of the planet's polar regions
- Longest-traveling solar-powered spacecraft in history
- Carries the JunoCam instrument that provides public access to raw images for citizen science
- Successfully survived Jupiter's intense radiation belts using a specially designed titanium vault

## Body
### Technical Specifications
Juno measures 3.5 meters in both diameter and height, with a total launch mass of 3,625 kilograms. The spacecraft carries three 9-meter-long solar arrays that deploy to provide power in Jupiter's orbit. Its scientific payload includes nine instruments designed to study Jupiter's atmosphere, magnetosphere, and internal structure.

### Mission Timeline
The spacecraft launched on August 5, 2011, aboard an Atlas V 551 rocket (AV-029) provided by United Launch Alliance. After launch, Juno performed a gravity assist flyby of Earth on October 9, 2013, passing within 558 kilometers of the planet to gain additional velocity. The spacecraft entered Jupiter orbit on July 5, 2016, beginning its primary science mission.

### Scientific Instruments
Juno carries instruments including a microwave radiometer to measure atmospheric water and ammonia, magnetometers to map Jupiter's magnetic field, and an ultraviolet spectrograph to study auroras. The JunoCam provides visible-light images for both science and public engagement, while the Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) studies the planet in infrared wavelengths.

### Orbital Characteristics
The spacecraft operates in a highly elliptical polar orbit with a 53.5-day orbital period. This orbit allows Juno to pass close to Jupiter's cloud tops while minimizing exposure to the planet's intense radiation belts. The 90-degree orbital inclination enables comprehensive coverage of both polar regions.

### Social Media Presence
Juno maintains active social media accounts, including a verified Twitter account (@NASAJuno) with over 739,000 followers as of February 2023. The mission also has a Facebook presence and a dedicated website at http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/juno/main/index.html.

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "SpaceMission",
  "name": "Juno",
  "description": "NASA spacecraft orbiting the planet Jupiter",
  "url": "http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/juno/main/index.html",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juno_(spacecraft)",
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q131740"
  ],
  "additionalType": "space probe",
  "manufacturer": "Lockheed Martin Space",
  "operator": "Jet Propulsion Laboratory",
  "launchDate": "2011-08-05",
  "launchVehicle": "Atlas V 551",
  "missionStatus": "active",
  "orbitOf": "Jupiter"
}

## References

1. [Source](https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/juno.htm)
2. [Source](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=2011-040A)
3. [Source](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/222823001_The_Juno_New_Frontiers_mission)
4. Jonathan's Space Report
5. [Source](https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/316306main_JunoFactSheet_2009sm.pdf)
6. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
7. [Source](https://www.space.com/23139-juno-jupiter-spacecraft-earth-flyby.html)
8. [Source](https://spacenews.com/juno-enters-orbit-around-jupiter/)
9. [Source](https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press_kits/JunoLaunch.pdf)
10. [Source](https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press_kits/juno/pdf/juno-hires.pdf)
11. [Source](https://naif.jpl.nasa.gov/pub/naif/toolkit_docs/C/req/naif_ids.html)
12. Quora