The JUICE Spacecraft System Design

Space Science Reviews 2026 Open access

Read full text
Authors: Giuseppe Sarri, Christian Erd, Cyril Cavel, Frédéric Faye, Thomas Schirmann, V. Lelievre, Cécile Tailfer, Philippe Durand, Sébastien Laborde, Pauline Ravily, Stéphane Deyber, Séverine Deschamps
+51 more Patrick Rouchit, Stephen Goodburn, Philippe N. Humbert, Eric Ecale, P. Régnier, Vincent Philavong, Hélène Duhamel, Frédéric Juillard, Luc Planche, Laurent Roux, Thierry Bouchet, B. Massart, Xavier Moisson, Markus Faust, MARTIN C. E. HUBER, Manfred Amann, Robert Purvinskis, Jörg Lange, Stephane Osipenco, Michael Chwalla, Manuela Baroni, Philippe Garé, A. Schnorhk, David Monteiro, Carsten Scharmberg, Alessandro Atzei, J. Grzymisch, Felice Torelli, Daniel Escolar Blasco, Johannes Gumpinger, Romain Peyrou-Lauga, R. Le Letty, Sam Verstaen, Sven Landstroem, Torgeir Paulsen, Ignacio Torralba, Daniele Gherardi, Mihaela Barbu, Cristina Bramanti, Federico Bertini, Anne-Laure Bonnier, Ilaria Barsanti, Steve Redding, Helma Glasbergen, Robert Furnell, Andrea Accomazzo, Ignacio Tanco, Angela Dietz, N. Altobelli, Claire Vallat, Olivier Witasse
DOI: 10.1007/s11214-026-01289-4
Cited by: 1
References: 7

Abstract

In April 2023, the European Space Agency (ESA) launched its largest interplanetary space probe to date: the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE). Scheduled to arrive at Jupiter in July 2031, JUICE will conduct a four-year investigation of the planet and its Galilean moons, concluding with an orbital phase and final impact on Ganymede. This paper summarizes the mission drivers and key system and subsystems design. Instrument accommodation, verification strategy, launch and commissioning activities, and the principal performance characteristics of the spacecraft and payload are also outlined.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Spacecraft Design and Technology Spacecraft Dynamics and Control Spacecraft and Cryogenic Technologies

Publication details

Journal / source
Space Science Reviews
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Volume
222
Issue
3
Publication date
1 April 2026
Language
EN