ESA launches JUICE to find out if Jupiter's moons can sustain life | DW News

The ESA's Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, or 'Juice' for short, successfully blasted off from French Guiana. It'll be the agency's longest-range mission. This was the second launch attempt. Bad weather delayed take-off the previous day. The spacecraft is now on an eight-year journey to the giant gas planet. Scientists hope to find out if Jupiter's moons can sustain life in the vast oceans hidden beneath their ice-covered shells.

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[jptugagmr]

Beautiful. Europe should invest more in science and technology. good luck ESA

[marcob]

Ganymede is pretty neat. It's larger than Mercury, Pluto, and our moon, and it's radius is 77% of Mars'. It's quite large!

[josephdonais]

Glad to see you out there ESA!
May we find my heart's desires before my own departure from Earth.

[anthonymcneill]

There is no doubt that we are living in the age of technology and expanded exploration of the cosmos. Amazing scientific platforms to learn more about the universe we live in.

[ГлебАрсеньев-тц]

I hope ESA read Stanislav Lem novel Solaris. Ocean can be living and a sentient being.

[bwdavis]

🚀Most Irie. GREAT job by EURO Space spokesman Matt- clear, concise, prepared & energetic w/out cheerleading. Well done mate. Safe travels all✈️

[forzaazzurri]

There is a lot of life in Jupiter’s moons. But hey let’s first focus on killing each other here on Earth.

[Ultra_T]

Hope so, better than conflicts in our world

[whatisahandle]

Cool! 4 years studying other moons! 🛰️🔭

[demonorse]

I think they should orbit Uranus, maybe even fire a probe that would lodge itself deep in Uranus. Lol

[looneycrow]

Yes There could be life on any of the 70 moons since jupiter gives of warmth for the moons

[mrdarklight]

Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer should be... JUIME, right? Or JIME? But space countries always have to have a catchy acronym.

[winstonmaraj]

Great! Imagine this mission if it beats JWT and find life outside of the earth.

[mrdarbab]

no. That was a movie with Roy Scheider.

[ypyp]

Fascinating. Everything tells me we will soon find the gaps to the Abiogenesis picture that there clearly are. At worst, pushing the hard question to another planetary system!

[EngineVSEngine]

Oh I hope they can find out, this will make our life here so much better once we know!

[Vode]

I can't wait to play Iron Lung for real!

[MoebiusUK]

Imagine if they discover alien artifacts beneath the ice on these moons. With so much water, these moons 'might' be an ideal destination or 'pit stop' for an intelligent species exploring the cosmos. If something went wrong with their craft it could still be there, either stuck in the ice or below the surface, hidden and protected by the ice.

OK, it sounds like a movie but human curiosity compels us to check, right?

[davidjones]

Here's an off the wall idea how about worrying obout life on the rock we are already on first

[matthewprovencio]

I love how everyone focuses on human-sustaining planets so we have an excuse to accelerate the destruction of Earth