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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →JUICE uses carefully timed flybys of Earth and Venus to reshape its route to Jupiter and conserve propellant. A planet’s gravity can change the spacecraft’s direction and, depending on the encounter geometry, its speed around the Sun. The longer route is demanding to navigate, but it helps preserve fuel for arrival and the mission’s exploration of Jupiter’s moons.
Why JUICE takes the longer route
A direct trip to Jupiter would require a spacecraft to leave Earth with very high energy and then brake substantially on arrival. JUICE instead uses planetary flybys to alter its trajectory without relying on its engines for every large change in speed and direction. That saves propellant for later maneuvers, including Jupiter orbit insertion and the planned science tour.
The trade-off is time and complexity. JUICE launched on 14 April 2023 and is scheduled to reach Jupiter in July 2031. Its itinerary requires precise navigation and favorable planetary alignments; a direct transfer could be quicker, but would demand more launch and arrival-braking capability. ESA describes the route and mission schedule on its JUICE mission page and in its flyby explainer.
How a gravity assist changes JUICE’s path
During a flyby, a spacecraft passes a planet and is deflected by its gravity. In a planet-centred frame, the encounter mainly turns the spacecraft’s velocity vector. Viewed relative to the Sun, that change in direction can increase or decrease the spacecraft’s orbital energy and speed. The result depends on the approach direction and flyby geometry—not every assist speeds the spacecraft up.
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A gravity assist is not an engine burn, does not capture the spacecraft into a lasting orbit around the flyby planet, and does not remove the need for JUICE’s own propulsion. It is a way to use the motion and gravity of a planet to shape the spacecraft’s route while conserving propellant. ESA’s account of the 2024 encounter reports both an increase and a decrease in heliocentric speed during the same double flyby.
JUICE’s flyby sequence
ESA’s current mission plan lists the completed encounters and future milestones below. The January 2029 Earth flyby and July 2031 Jupiter arrival are planned dates, not completed events.
| Date | Encounter or milestone | Role or reported result |
|---|---|---|
| 14 April 2023 | Launch from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana aboard Ariane 5 | Beginning of the cruise to Jupiter |
| August 2024 | Lunar-Earth flyby | The Moon encounter preceded Earth by just over 24 hours; the combined maneuver redirected JUICE toward Venus |
| August 2025 | Venus flyby | Bent JUICE’s orbit and sent it back toward Earth |
| 28 September 2026 | Earth flyby | Deflected JUICE by about 20 degrees and increased its velocity by 3.5 km/s, according to ESA |
| January 2029 | Planned Earth flyby | Intended to put JUICE on its final track to Jupiter |
| July 2031 | Planned arrival at Jupiter | Start of the Jupiter-system exploration phase |
The 2026 Earth flyby passed at a closest-approach altitude of 8,640 km above the Indian Ocean, according to ESA’s completed-flyby report. ESA says this encounter set up the spacecraft for the planned January 2029 Earth flyby.
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What happened during the 2024 lunar-Earth flyby
The 2024 maneuver paired a Moon flyby with an Earth flyby a little over 24 hours later. The Moon encounter increased JUICE’s speed relative to the Sun by 0.9 km/s; Earth then reduced it by 4.8 km/s and sent the spacecraft onto a new path toward Venus. Together, the encounters redirected the trajectory by 100 degrees.
ESA estimated that the combined maneuver would save around 100–150 kg of fuel. That is an estimate reported by ESA, not a separately measured quantity of propellant saved. The different speed changes illustrate why it is inaccurate to describe every gravity assist as a boost: the Moon encounter increased heliocentric speed, while Earth’s encounter reduced it. ESA gives these figures in its account of the first-ever lunar-Earth flyby.
Why combine the Moon and Earth?
The Moon encounter helped arrange the following Earth encounter, so the value came from the sequence’s overall geometry rather than either flyby in isolation. ESA says the maneuver was operationally complex: the two close approaches were separated by about 24 hours, leaving little time to assess the lunar encounter and make any necessary correction before Earth. Teams needed precise ground tracking, orbit determination, and small correction maneuvers.
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Combining the lunar and terrestrial gravity fields also meant aligning the spacecraft, Earth, Moon, and intended target so that the fuel savings justified the work and risk of arranging the encounter. The maneuver’s reported fuel estimate and large trajectory change must be understood alongside that navigation challenge.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the later flybys contribute
Venus, August 2025
The Venus flyby bent JUICE’s orbit and sent it back toward Earth, continuing the chain of trajectory changes needed to reach Jupiter. A flyby’s purpose is not always to make the spacecraft faster immediately; it is to produce the right path for the next leg.
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On 28 September 2026, Earth deflected JUICE’s trajectory by about 20 degrees and increased its velocity by 3.5 km/s, ESA reports. That gain prepared the spacecraft for its planned January 2029 Earth encounter. The precise navigation required for the pass used only a small amount of the propellant reserved for it, according to JUICE Spacecraft Operations Manager Angela Dietz in ESA’s report.
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Earth, planned for January 2029
The next planned Earth flyby is intended to place JUICE on its final route to Jupiter. Because this is a future event in the mission plan, its date and role should not be confused with a completed encounter.
How the longer cruise serves the science mission
JUICE is traveling to Jupiter to study the planet and its large moons: Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa. Ganymede is the mission’s later orbital destination. The cruise trajectory is therefore part of the science mission’s engineering: using flybys to conserve propellant helps leave resources for reaching Jupiter, entering orbit, and carrying out operations in the Jupiter system. The spacecraft carries 10 science instruments and solar wings with an area of 85 m², according to ESA’s mission overview.
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