A new chapter in humanity's search for extraterrestrial life opens on Thursday as Europe's JUICE spacecraft blasts off on a mission to investigate the icy moons of Jupiter. Watch the launch live on FRANCE 24 at 2:15pm Paris time (GMT+2).
Unlike similar missions to Mars, which focus on finding signs of ancient life long since extinguished, scientists at the European Space Agency hope to discover whether Jupiter's icy moons are capable of hosting extraterrestrial life in their vast, hidden oceans.
The JUpiter ICy Moons Explorer (JUICE) has received the green light for its scheduled launch on an Ariane 5 rocket from Europe's spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
The six-tonne spacecraft, which is roughly four square metres, will separate from the rocket at an altitude of 1,500 kilometres (930 miles) a little under half an hour after blast-off. JUICE will then begin its long and winding path towards Jupiter, which is 628 million kilometres from Earth.
Because the spacecraft lacks the power to fly straight towards Jupiter, it will have to slingshot around other planets to get a gravitational boost.
First, it will do a fly-by of Earth and the Moon, then slingshot around Venus in 2025 before swinging past Earth again in 2029. Then it will finally take off on its challenging journey towards the Solar System's largest planet.
The spacecraft is wrapped in 500 layered thermal insulation blankets to protect itself against temperatures expected to soar above 250 degrees Celsius (480 degrees Fahrenheit) as it flies past Venus, then plummet below minus 230C near Jupiter.
Click on the player above to watch the launch.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
