NASA’s Juno spacecraft used its Microwave Radiometer instrument to map thermal data across the surface of Jupiter’s moon Io during two recent flybys.
Key facts
- •The MWR instrument mapped the northern hemisphere during Perijove 57 on Dec. 30, 2023.
- •Perijove 58 on Feb. 3, 2024, focused on Io’s mid-latitudes and equatorial regions.
- •Juno flew past the moon at a distance of roughly 930 miles (1,500 kilometers).
- •The spacecraft spins at two revolutions per minute to collect its mapping data.
- •The mission is part of NASA’s New Frontiers Program.
NASA’s Juno spacecraft has completed two close flybys of Jupiter’s moon Io, utilizing its Microwave Radiometer (MWR) instrument to sample the moon's surface. The mission gathered data on the side of Io that constantly faces Jupiter, providing new mapping of the moon's northern hemisphere, mid-latitudes, and equatorial regions.
By the numbers
Flyby Details and Methodology
During the flybys, Juno maintained a distance of approximately 930 miles (1,500 kilometers) from the moon. The spacecraft, which spins at a rate of two revolutions per minute, created sweeping, overlapping patterns of data collection as it passed Io.
Mission Management
The Juno mission is managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory for principal investigator Scott Bolton of the Southwest Research Institute. The spacecraft was built and is operated by Lockheed Martin Space, and the MWR instrument was constructed by JPL.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by NASA Breaking News.
