The Juno mission departed from Cape Canaveral on August 5, 2011, with the objective of studying that fascinating giant of the Solar System called Jupiter. Nearly five years later, Juno entered an elliptical polar orbit specially calculated to minimize its exposure to the planet's radiation belts, and since then it has sent an impressive amount of data, including images that we can only describe as fabulous.
The mission will officially continue until July 30, 2021, when its probe will complete perijove 35 (closest approach), and then be sent into Jupiter's atmosphere in an attempt to minimize the risk associated with space debris and terrestrial contamination. The radiation of the gas giant is relentless, and it is very likely that many of the instruments will fail before reaching the deadline, so the possibility of a collision with one of the moons is not ruled out.
Until then, experts will continue analyzing all received data (something that will take them years, to be honest), and we will enjoy these extraordinary images that reveal the grandeur, fury, and beauty of Jupiter. Would you like to see more besides this gallery? In that case, don't hesitate to visit the official Juno mission page at NASA.
A gallery of Jupiter
