The European Space Agency’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, or JUICE, completed its third Earth gravity assist on 28 September 2026. The spacecraft passed about 8,640 km above Earth over the Indian Ocean and changed its trajectory by about 20 degrees.
Gravity Assist in Spaceflight
A gravity assist is a spacecraft manoeuvre that uses the motion and gravity of a planet or moon to change speed and direction. Space agencies use this technique to reduce fuel consumption on long interplanetary missions.
JUICE Mission Profile
JUICE is a European Space Agency mission to study Jupiter and three of its large icy moons, especially Ganymede. The spacecraft is planned to enter orbit around Jupiter in 2031 and later orbit Ganymede in 2034.
During the 2026 flyby, JUICE gained about 12,606 km/h, or 3.5 km/s, in speed. Mission controllers required only one small course correction before the encounter, which is a standard navigation procedure for planetary flybys.
Earth Flybys in Jupiter Missions
Earth flybys are used in deep-space missions to build up velocity before arrival at distant planets. NASA’s Juno spacecraft used an Earth gravity assist on 9 October 2013 before reaching Jupiter.
Important Facts for Exams
- JUICE stands for Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer.
- Gravity assist is also called a slingshot manoeuvre in spaceflight.
- Ganymede is the largest moon in the Solar System.
- Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun.
Mission Timeline
JUICE’s Earth flyby in 2026 was its third gravity assist manoeuvre. The mission uses planetary flybys to reach the Jupiter system with lower fuel use than a direct transfer.
