There was jubilation for Juno today as the plucky little NASA probe ended its 5 year journey to get close enough to monitor and photograph Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system. Having taken the best part of half a decade to reach its effective starting point, the fun really starts once its reconnaissance begins in earnest within the gas giant’s orbit.
Success! Engine burn complete. #Juno is now orbiting #Jupiter, poised to unlock the planet's secrets. https://t.co/YFsOJ9YYb5
— NASA (@NASA) July 5, 2016
A NASA statement laid down the benefits of the program as follows;
“With Juno, we will investigate the unknowns of Jupiter’s massive radiation belts to delve deep into not only the planet’s interior, but into how Jupiter was born and how our entire solar system evolved.”
Elsewhere, less official tributes were pouring in, like the Google Doodle, which featured cutesy 8 bit figures of the happy NASA staff, overjoyed at the little probe that could. ‘Wan Juno!
