NASA launches first solar-powered interplanetary probe

NASA launched its first solar-powered interplanetary spacecraft on Friday. Until now, solar panels have not been efficient enough to operate at great distances from the sun, but now they could.

The Juno probe launched Friday, NASA said familiar. Juno’s goal is to research Jupiter, the largest and oldest planet in our solar system. After reaching Jupiter, Juno will orbit Jupiter’s poles 33 times to gather information about conditions on the gas giant. Juno travels 2800 million kilometers to reach Jupiter. The probe will pass through the moon’s orbit on Saturday and will arrive at Jupiter in five years.

The spacecraft is the first interplanetary probe with solar panels to pass beyond Mars. Until now, the technology of solar panels had not been developed far enough to generate enough energy at a great distance from the sun. However, that is now the case. Satellites orbiting the Earth have had solar panels for energy supply for decades.

Juno collects information about temperature and humidity in Jupiter’s atmosphere, among other things. It must also be discovered how much of which gas is present. In addition, things like magnetic fields are measured. This data is used to determine which theories about the planet are correct.