ESA Science & Technology - Publication Archive

Reference: ESA/SRE(2014)1

This report, the so-called Red Book, provides a scientific, technical and management summary of the JUICE definition study that was performed from February 2012 to October 2014.

The JUICE (JUpiter ICy moons Explorer) mission has been selected by ESA in May 2012 to be the first large mission within the Cosmic Vision Program 2015-2025.

In Press - Available online 19 December 2012

Past exploration of Jupiter's diverse satellite system has forever changed our understanding of the unique environments to be found around gas giants, both in our solar system and beyond. The detailed investigation of three of Jupiter's Galilean satellites (Ganymede, Europa, and Callisto), which are believed to harbour subsurface water oceans, is central to elucidating the conditions for habitability of icy worlds in planetary systems in general. The study of the Jupiter system and the possible existence of habitable environments offer the best opportunity for understanding the origins and formation of the gas giants and their satellite systems. The JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE) mission, selected by ESA in May 2012 to be the first large mission within the Cosmic Vision Program 2015-2025, will perform detailed investigations of Jupiter and its system in all their inter-relations and complexity with particular emphasis on Ganymede as a planetary body and potential habitat. The investigations of the neighbouring moons, Europa and Callisto, will complete a comparative picture of the Galilean moons and their potential habitability. Here we describe the scientific motivation for this exciting new European-led exploration of the Jupiter system in the context of our current knowledge and future aspirations for exploration, and the paradigm it will bring in the study of giant (exo) planets in general.

Reference: ESA/SPC(2012)20, rev. 1

JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE) is an ESA-led L-class mission of the ESA's Cosmic Vision 2015-25 Programme. It aims at a comprehensive exploration of the Jovian system with particular emphasis on Jupiter, its environment, and Galilean moons Ganymede, Europa and Callisto by investigating them as planetary bodies and potential habitats.

The Science Management Plan (SMP) describes the approach that will be implemented to ensure the fulfilment of the scientific objectives of the JUICE mission and to optimise its scientific return, with special emphasis on payload procurement, science operation and data management.

This document lists the JUICE mission's science objectives and the corresponding investigations, plus the necessary measurements (and instruments) to achieve these objectives.

The prospects for continued exploration and discovery in the Outer Planets of the Solar System have never been better. Among others, the Rosetta, Dawn, and New Horizons missions are enroute, the Cassini mission continues its comprehensive exploration of the saturnian system, and the Juno mission is preparing for a 2011 launch to Jupiter. Elsewhere, NASA and ESA are focusing on a flagship-class mission opportunity to Europa and the rest of the Jovian system, followed by a mission back to Titan, and a New Frontiers announcement of opportunity has been released by NASA to solicit missions across a wide spectrum, including missions to the South Pole of the Earth's Moon, Venus, the surface of a comet (and back again), Mars, Mercury, the Trojan or Centaur asteroids in Jupiter's orbit, other asteroids (and back again), Io, or Ganymede. New missions are also under way at ESA.

Reference: ESA/SRE(2011)18

The JUICE (JUpiter ICy moon Explorer) concept results from the reformulation of the EJSM-Laplace mission into a European-led mission.

This report, the so-called Yellow Book, contains the results of ESA's assessment study (Phase 0/A) of the candidate L-class Cosmic Vision mission JUICE.

Reference: SRE-PA/2011.003/MNCE

L1 Mission Reformulation, JUICE

This report summarises the findings of the ESA review on the reformulation of EJSM/Laplace (L class mission candidate of the Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 programme) into the new mission concept named JUICE (JUpiter ICy moon Explorer).

The review, completed at the end of the reformulation exercise, establishes the overall feasibility and credibility of the L1 mission candidate reformulated concept - for both platform and payload - for a launch in 2022, and an ESA cost at completion of 850 MEuro (e.c. 2010).