[UPDATED] FIRST High-Quality “Selfies” from ESA’s JUICE Flyby Are Revealed!

The European Space Agency’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) mission just provided a captivating first glimpse of the Moon as it performed “Double World First” Lunar-Earth flyby. Launched in April 2023, Juice is on an ambitious mission to study Jupiter’s largest icy moons – Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto- each believed to harbor vast oceans beneath their icy surfaces.

UPDATE: Processed Images Are Unveiled

The European Space Agency (ESA) has revealed processed images captured by its Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) during the mission’s first lunar-Earth flyby. They show a part of the spacecraft with the Moon as a stunning backdrop.

The shots were taken by Juice’s onboard monitoring cameras on 19 August, 2024, just before the spacecraft’s closest approach to the Moon. This maneuver was part of a trajectory adjustment to set JUICE on course for its Earth flyby on 20 August, 2024.

Photo 1

Captured by Juice Monitoring Camera 1 (JMC1) at 23:25 CEST, the image reveals notable color differences in the Moon’s large-scale surface features. This image highlights the capability of the monitoring cameras, which were primarily designed to oversee the spacecraft’s deployments rather than conduct scientific observations

Photo 2

Taken by Juice Monitoring Camera 2 (JMC2), this image features the Earth as a “photobomber”, appearing as a dark circle with a light crescent at the top center, partially obscured by the spacecraft’s structure. This was an unexpected visual captured during the flyby. To find it, look above the hazy blue blob, which itself is a ghost image caused by reflection of sunlight.

First Images from JUICE Flyby

JUICE’s onboard monitoring cameras captured raw, black-and-white images of the Moon at a resolution of 1024 x 1024 pixels. These cameras, initially intended to check the spacecraft’s status post-launch, were used experimentally to photograph the Moon. The images, streamed live, showed a striking view of the lunar surface, albeit unprocessed. A notable feature in these images was a white dot, identified as a reflection from the spacecraft’s antenna.

Also, the livestream provided viewers with a unique opportunity to see the spacecraft in action as it embarks on its journey to explore Jupiter’s icy moons.

About the Images

These images are raw and unprocessed, showcasing the direct output from Juice’s cameras. Over the next 24 hours, the ESA team will process these images to provide clearer and more detailed views of the Moon.

Why Is the JUICE Mission’s Double Gravity Assist Manoeuvre Considered a “Double World First”? What Makes This Particular Manoeuvre So Unique?

Giuseppe Sarri, project manager of JUICE mission, shared his opinion with us:

“This is the first time ever that a spacecraft performs a double Moon-Earth gravity assist. No one did it before. Juice will first pass by the Moon on Monday (by coincidence the day of the Moon following the Greek and Roman naming of the days of the week) 19/8 at 21:16 UTC. This will give an extra push which will make the following flyby of Earth (on Tuesday 20/8 at 21:55 UTC) more effective. At this point the spacecraft will be deflected toward Venus for the gravity assist next year. This manoeuvre will allow to save a lot of propellant but it is a bit more risky than a simple one planet gravity assist: being the two flybys so close there will be no time to measure the trajectory and correct for possible errors after the Moon flyby and before the Earth flyby. It has to be right from the beginning.”

Looking Ahead

As it continues its eight-year voyage to Jupiter, JUICE will perform multiple flybys of Earth and Venus to gain the necessary velocity for its mission. The spacecraft is expected to reach Jupiter in 2031, where it will conduct detailed studies of its icy moons, potentially unlocking secrets about their ability to support life.