Europe’s JUICE Jupiter Probe Successfully Completes Historic Lunar Flyby
On August 19, 2024, Europe’s JUICE (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) spacecraft achieved a notable milestone in space exploration by performing a gravity assist flyby of the Moon. The probe came within 465 miles (750 kilometres) of the lunar surface, capturing images of this significant encounter. This manoeuvre is the first part of an unprecedented double gravity assist mission, with the second leg set to occur when JUICE flies past Earth.
Historic Flyby Captured in Photos
The JUICE spacecraft, which was launched in April 2023, aims to study Jupiter and its major moons: Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa. These moons are believed to harbour subsurface oceans, making them prime targets for exploration. The Moon flyby was crucial for JUICE’s trajectory, helping to fine-tune its path towards a future Venus encounter in 2025. This series of manoeuvres will ultimately set the probe on a course for Jupiter, with an arrival planned for July 2031.
Photo Credit: ESA
The spacecraft’s cameras, designed primarily for monitoring the deployment of its solar arrays and scientific instruments, provided raw images of the Moon. These images were shared live by the European Space Agency (ESA), showcasing JUICE’s close approach and the Moon’s rugged terrain.
Strategic Manoeuvre for Efficient Travel
JUICE’s flybys are a strategic choice to save time and fuel. The gravity assist from the Moon and Earth, followed by the Venus flyby, will optimize the spacecraft’s journey to Jupiter. According to Ignacio Tanco, JUICE spacecraft operations manager, this approach effectively “brakes” the spacecraft, reducing the amount of propellant needed compared to traditional engine burns.
During its Earth flyby, JUICE will come within about 4,250 miles (6,840 kilometres) of our planet. While there will be no live feed for this encounter due to communication constraints, amateur astronomers in regions such as Alaska might catch a glimpse of the probe through a telescope. The successful execution of these manoeuvres underscores Europe’s growing capabilities in space exploration and highlights the intricate planning behind interplanetary missions.
Russian scientists have confirmed a brand-new island in the northern Caspian Sea. Satellite imagery from late 2024 first hinted at a sandbank breaking the surface, and a field expedition in mid 2025 verified it. The feature lies about 30 km southwest of Maly Zhemchuzhny Island, on the Europe-Asia boundary of the world’s largest inland sea. It barely rises above the water, and it appeared as the Caspian’s level reached unusually low values. Scientists note the sea has fallen in recent decades (linked to higher evaporation in a warming climate and regional tectonic shifts) and has been dropping again since the 2010.
Confirming the Island’s Emergence
According to a translated statement , in November 2024, satellite images showed a pile of sand and sediment poking above the sea surface. When a Russian research vessel reached the location, scientists saw a flat, sandy patch just above the water. Its surface was damp and crisscrossed by small ridges of sand, but only a few inches higher than the surrounding sea. Approaching by boat proved tricky: very shallow water and foul weather meant the team could not actually land on the new islet. Instead, researchers flew drones (quadcopters) to photograph the site from above. These aerial pictures confirmed the island’s outline and scale. In the field images, the new island appeared as a low, sandy plain with no vegetation.
Environmental Significance and Future Outlook
The island highlights the Caspian’s shifting waters and geology. Scientists have observed that long-term cycles of water rise and fall can expose underwater banks as temporary islands, as seen in the Kumani Bank mud volcano off Azerbaijan’s coast. The island, which could become a nesting ground for seabirds or a haul-out site for Caspian seals, could be influenced by climate-driven water loss and tectonic or volcanic activity. The island’s fate will help scientists understand the interaction between Caspian water levels, climate change, and Earth movements, and what new habitats may emerge when an inland sea shifts its shoreline.
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