NASA’s Juno probe completes first Jupiter flyby

28 August, New York

NASA’s solar-powered Juno spacecraft has successfully executed its first flyby of Jupiter passing just 4,200 kilometres above the planet’s clouds. It was the closest contact ever achieved by a man-made probe with Jupiter.

NASA said, the flyby yesterday was the first time Juno had its entire suite of science instruments activated and looking at the planet as the spacecraft zoomed past.

There are 35 more close flybys of Jupiter planned during Juno’s mission scheduled to end in February 2018.

The Juno spacecraft was launched on August 5, 2011 from Florida, and had reached Jupiter on the 4th of last month.