The images were taken to test the space probe's monitoring cameras, which can generate 1024 by 1024-pixel snapshots.
It's not every day that we can see our beautiful blue world through the lens of a spacecraft in the darkness of space. The recently launchedcaptured some stunning images of its home planet shortly after embarking on its eight-year journey to Jupiter.
The first batch of images was captured soon after the mission launch on Friday, April 14. JUICE, or Jupiter ICy moons Explore is a mission of the European Space Agency. The spacecraft was launched from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana on an Ariane-5 rocket.One of the first images taken showed the spacecraft's solar array being unfurled in dark space. Another image showed the spacecraft partially blocking JUICE's view of Earth.
While one monitoring camera is mounted on the spacecraft's front side, the second camera is placed on top of the spacecraft. In the coming days, the latter will record the unfolding of the probe's Radar for Icy Moons Exploration antenna, which is 52 feet long. These radar antennas were designed specifically to penetrate and investigate beneath the icy surface of the moons.
These, however, are merely monitoring cameras, whereas the scientific ones are more sophisticatedly designed to capture high-resolution photography of the planet and its moon in 2031.Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.
The scientific community is thrilled with the mission's successful launch. It will be exciting to see what incredible images and discoveries this mission will make in the coming months and years.
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