ESA's JUICE probe completes Venus flyby on way to Jupiter
ESA's JUICE probe just used Venus's gravity to pick up speed on its long trip to Jupiter, all without burning extra fuel.
The flyby happened early on August 31, 2025, and keeps JUICE on track to reach Jupiter by July 2031.
JUICE had to power down its instruments
JUICE had to power down its instruments and use its antenna as a heat shield while passing close to Venus—so no pictures this time.
This was just after recovering from a communication blackout in July, but everything went smoothly for the big maneuver.
Two more Earth flybys are set for 2026 and 2029
This Venus swing-by is only the second of four planned gravity assists, including a previous Moon flyby.
Two more Earth flybys are set for 2026 and 2029, helping JUICE reach the necessary speed for Jupiter orbit.
ESA is sharing updates as JUICE travels through space
The public couldn't see this flyby, but ESA is sharing updates as JUICE travels through space.
After the final Earth assist in 2029, JUICE will start exploring Jupiter's icy moons in 2031—a major step for European space science and our understanding of distant worlds.