JUICE spacecraft failed to deploy an important radar antenna

(ESA / Juice / JMC https://bit.ly/3NplINa)

The JUICE spacecraft was unable to fully deploy the antenna of the RIME radar instrument, designed to study the structure of Jupiter's moons.

The cause of the problem may be a stuck pin. If so, then European scientists have two more months to fix the problem.

JUICE (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) was launched into space on April 14, its main targets are Europa, Ganymede and Callisto.

The mission will study the internal structure, gravitational field, composition and morphology of the surface of the largest satellites of Jupiter, the exosphere and magnetic field.

The ship will also determine the presence and properties of bodies of subsurface global oceans of liquid water, which can be potentially habitable.

THE MISSION
Once the ship was in space, it began a lengthy commissioning process that included deploying and calibrating antennas, sensors and instruments.

In particular, on April 21, the onboard magnetometer completed its deployment and began to receive the first data.

The deployment of the folded 16-meter antenna of the RIME (Radar for Icy Moons Exploration) instrument began on April 14, but was not completed on time.

The current length of the antenna is about a third of the total length.

RIME represents one of the most important tools of the mission, it is a low-frequency radar capable of probing the structure of the crust of Jupiter's moons to a depth of up to nine kilometers.

Engineers are now speculating that a small stuck pin is preventing the antenna from being removed from the mounting bracket.

The researchers intend to try to turn on the station's engines and rotate it to try to unlock the antenna; they have about two more months to do this.

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