Re:ESA – Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer: Live Launch
by exitb on Thursday April 13, 2023 @03:50AM
(#35552327)
Well, sure, the window was very specific to visit multiple planets, but Jupiter was the first stop. Similar Earth-Jupiter configuration happens every year.
Re:ESA – Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer: Live Launch
by avar on Thursday April 13, 2023 @04:34AM
(#35552601)
The ISS made a "stop" in my general vicinity earlier today by your definition of "stop".
Re:ESA – Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer: Live Launch
by exitb on Thursday April 13, 2023 @05:27AM
(#35552996)
Sorry, English it not my first language, I meant it as a first destination, it obviously just flew by.
Re:ESA – Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer: Live Launch
by dogma1138 on Thursday April 13, 2023 @05:52AM
(#35553184)
Jupiter makes an orbit around the sun once every 12 years there likely are years where it is closer to earth than others.
Also there are years when it’s retrograde and there are years when it’s prograde so there is that too.
With Voyager it also wasn’t just Jupiter it was an alignment of all the planets which is far rarer.
And again voyager didn’t entered orbit it had a very brief flyby of Jupiter.
Cassini also took a decade to reach Saturn because it needed to enter orbit around it and its moons.
The length of time to get to Jupiter is pretty much dictated by orbital mechanics. As well as your ability to slow down and actually get into orbit instead of just doing a flyby.
So the longer journey is likely a combination of the launch vehicle, the cruise stage vehicle and how much fuel they want to dedicate into getting into orbit vs the mission since the probe is expected to visit multiple moons it’s likely that they prioritize the fuel for in mission orbit corrections so they are taking a longer and slower approach.