The European Space Agency’s JUICE probe, which was launched in April this year, is on a mission to explore the habitability of Jupiter’s moons. Michele Dougherty, the principal investigator of the JUICE mission, aims to uncover unusual discoveries similar to what was found on Saturn’s moon, Enceladus, during NASA’s Cassini mission in 2005.
The JUICE mission focuses on three of Jupiter’s largest moons – Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. These moons will be closely observed and studied for their potential to support life. The mission will fly by Europa and Callisto before entering orbit around Ganymede, the largest moon in the solar system. Michele Dougherty emphasizes the importance of being open to unexpected secrets that may exist beneath the icy exteriors of these moons.
In an interview with ScienceWithRV, Dougherty discusses the need to deviate from the planned route of space missions to explore intriguing phenomena. She explains her plans to reveal the secrets of Jupiter’s moons and the potential for habitability that they may hold.
