By: SPACE.com Staff
Published: 09/06/2012 09:32 AM EDT on SPACE.com
The second of two engine burns meant to put NASA's Jupiter-bound Juno probe on course for a speed-boosting Earth flyby next year has been pushed to Sept. 14, officials announced Tuesday (Sept. 4).
The burn was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but the mission team delayed it by 10 days after analyzing the results of the Juno spacecraft's previous engine firing, which took place Aug. 30.
The Aug. 30 engine burn worked well, changing Juno's velocity by 770 mph (1,240 kph) as planned. However, the 30-minute maneuver also caused propellant pressure in the spacecraft's propulsion system to rise higher than expected, researchers said.
"The team has decided to take an extra 10 days to analyze this increase and consider mitigation options, placing the second deep space maneuver on Sept. 14," NASA officials wrote in a mission update on Tuesday. "There will be no impact to the mission's timeline or science."
The two deep space engine burns are designed to set Juno up for a close flyby of Earth on Oct. 9, 2013, which will bring the probe to within 310 miles (500 kilometers) of our planet. If all goes as planned, Earth's gravity will slingshot Juno toward Jupiter, boosting the probe's speed by 16,330 mph (26,280 kph), researchers said.
The $1.1 billion Juno mission launched on Aug. 5, 2011 and is scheduled to arrive at the solar system's largest planet on July 4, 2016. Juno will orbit Jupiter for about a year, using eight science instruments to peer beneath the thick Jovian clouds.
Juno's main goal is to learn about Jupiter's atmosphere, magnetosphere, composition and origins, and to determine if the planet has a solid core. Learning about the formation of Jupiter — which snapped up most of the material left over after the sun's formation — can teach us a lot about the history of Earth and the solar system in general, scientists have said.
The Juno probe weighs about 8,000 pounds (3,267 kilograms) and draws its energy from the sun. The mission marks the first time a solar-powered probe has ventured as far out into the solar system as Jupiter.
Follow SPACE.com for the latest in space science and exploration news on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.
Copyright 2012 SPACE.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your contribution of as little as $2 will go a long way.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.
