Research / Juice swings past Earth on its way to Jupiter

ESA's Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer skimmed the outer edge of Earth's atmosphere on 28 September, using the planet's gravity to change course with very little fuel. The flyby bent its path by 20 degrees and added 3.5 km/s to its speed. Juice passed 8640 km above the Indian Ocean and took pictures with its monitoring cameras as it went.

What it means: Gravity did the work a large burn of fuel would otherwise have done.

ESA | 28 Sep

Source: Successful Earth flyby improves Juice’s course to Jupiter

Source picture for: Successful Earth flyby improves Juice’s course to Jupiter — Image: ESA

Source picture for: Brake! Time for ESA’s Hera asteroid mission to go slow — Image: ESA

Research / Hera gets ready to brake for its asteroids

The planetary defence spacecraft faces its hardest task since launch: sustained braking to approach its target asteroids.

ESA | 7 Oct

Source picture for: NASA’s Curiosity Looks Back After Reaching Elevation Milestone — Image: NASA

Research / Curiosity looks back after climbing 1 kilometre

The rover reached 1 kilometre above the Gale Crater floor on 26 August, then turned to photograph the way it came.

NASA | 7 Oct

Source picture for: NASA’s SpaceX 35th Commercial Resupply Mission Overview — Image: NASA

SpaceX cargo mission to the space station targets 13 October

Dragon will carry more than 6,300 pounds of supplies and science on a Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral.

NASA | 7 Oct

Research / Juice swings past Earth on its way to Jupiter

Research / Hera gets ready to brake for its asteroids

Research / Curiosity looks back after climbing 1 kilometre

SpaceX cargo mission to the space station targets 13 October

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