I'll be following this mission with interest.
The Juno mission to Jupiter launches this Friday, 5th August and is expected to arrive at Jupiter in 2016.
From the
mission website:
Quote:
The Juno mission is the next scientific investigation in the NASA New Frontiers Program. The mission's primary science goal is to significantly improve our understanding of the formation and structure of Jupiter. By advancing our knowledge of the giant planet, we will also dramatically advance our understanding of the origins and early evolution of our own solar system at the most fundamental level.
The Juno spacecraft will investigate Jupiter's origins, its interior structure, its deep atmosphere and its magnetosphere from an innovative, highly elliptical orbit with a suite of seven science instruments. In addition, a camera called JunoCam will be used by student participants in the Juno Education and Public Outreach program to take the first images of Jupiter's polar regions.
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Some more great info on the NASA page:
Juno Mission on NASA
It'll orbit Jupiter 33 times (approx 1 year) and end the mission by slamming into Jupiter.
Very cool!
