ESA's Jupiter-bound spacecraft changed direction by 20 degrees and gained 3.5 km/s in speed using Earth’s gravity; ESA’s Juice spacecraft needed no major engine burn for the boost

Key Points:

• The European Space Agency's Juice spacecraft performed a gravity assist flyby of Earth on September 28, 2026, passing 8,640 km above the Indian Ocean to alter its trajectory by 20 degrees and increase its speed by 3.5 km/s without a major engine burn.
• This gravity assist maneuver conserved fuel essential for Juice’s upcoming arrival at Jupiter in 2031 and its planned orbit around the moon Ganymede in 2034, enabling the spacecraft to carry out its scientific mission studying Jupiter’s icy moons.
• Juice’s navigation team required only one minor course correction in the four weeks leading up to the flyby, demonstrating highly precise planning and real-time control during the complex gravitational encounter.
• The flyby also provided an opportunity to test Juice’s scientific instruments by capturing images of Earth, Africa, Madagascar, and the Moon, helping to calibrate equipment ahead of the mission’s main science phase at Jupiter.
• Juice has previously used gravity assists at the Moon and Venus to build speed and adjust its path, with a final Earth flyby scheduled for January 2029 to set the spacecraft on an optimal course for Jupiter arrival.