JUICE Mission to Study Jupiter's 'Minor' Moons

The European Space Agency's JUICE mission, slated to arrive at Jupiter in 2031, primarily targets the icy moons Ganymede, Europa, and Callisto. However, the mission also plans to gather data on Jupiter's other 94 moons. Of particular interest is Io, the most volcanically active body in the solar system. JUICE will monitor Io's surface changes, hot spots, and plumes, complementing observations from Juno and the James Webb Space Telescope. JUICE's UVS instrument will track sulfur dioxide emissions and auroras, while its PEP instrument will monitor Io's plasma torus.

The mission will also investigate smaller moons like Metis, Adrastea, Amalthea, and Thebe, focusing on Amalthea's Paradox, which questions its low density despite its proximity to Jupiter. JUICE aims to provide detailed spectrographic images of these moons, potentially revealing their composition and the presence of moonlets. Furthermore, JUICE will study larger, more distant moons like Himalia to determine their composition and origin. A potential flyby of Kallichore is also under consideration. JUICE will coordinate its observations with NASA's Europa Clipper mission, maximizing scientific return. The combined data from these missions promises a more complete understanding of the Jovian system.

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