- Juno probe has orbited Jupiter since July 2016, launched in 2011
- Mission extended until September 2025 for more orbits and moon flybys
- NASA has not officially confirmed if Juno has been switched off yet
NASA's Juno probe has been orbiting Jupiter since July 2016, providing groundbreaking insights into the gas giant and its moons. But according to Space.com, there are speculations that the probe has already been switched off. The Juno probe was launched in 2011, and it entered orbit around Jupiter in 2016. In April this year, Juno experienced a safe mode glitch but recovered and resumed operations.
The mission was extended until September 2025, allowing for additional orbits and flybys of Jupiter's moons like Ganymede, Europa and Io.
Most recently in 2021, NASA had guaranteed that the mission operations would continue until September 30, 2025 - a date that has already passed.
Notably, NASA's statement in 2021 mentioned that the planetary orbiter will continue its investigation of the solar system's largest planet "through September 2025, or until the spacecraft's end of life".
However, NASA hasn't officially confirmed either.
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Space.com stated that in an email, NASA Planetary Science Division Media Lead Molly Wasser referred to Juno's 2021 extension, saying the "mission was extended to September of 2025. This is the most recent update. Regarding the future of the mission, NASA will abide by the law."
The extension date coincided with the US government shutdown. The report by Space.com mentioned that the responses from agency officials state that "NASA is currently closed due to a lapse in government funding ... Please reach back out after an appropriation or continuing resolution is approved."
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In its journey, Juno has revealed Jupiter's atmospheric dynamics, deep interior structure, and intense magnetic field, offering unprecedented views of the planet's polar cyclones and moons.
"By extending the science goals of this important orbiting observatory, the Juno team will start tackling a breadth of science historically required of flagships," Lori Glaze, NASA's planetary science division director at the time, said in a statement. "This represents an efficient and innovative advance for NASA's solar system exploration strategy."
Juno faces harsh radiation belts around Jupiter, impacting its systems and requiring careful mission planning.
"With this extension, Juno becomes its own follow-on mission," Steve Levin, Juno project scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, said as per the old statement.
Juno helped solve mysteries about water distribution on Jupiter. It also gave insights into this iconic storm's depth and dynamics. During moon flybys, it had close encounters with Ganymede (2021), Europa (2022), and Io (2023, 2024), which provided remarkable data.
