ESA · Space

Juice spacecraft captures Earth flyby images

ESA's Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) successfully completed an Earth flyby on September 28, 2026, using the planet's gravity to boost its speed and alter its course.

The maneuver, which occurred 8,640 km above the Indian Ocean, increased Juice's velocity by 3.5 km/s and deflected its trajectory by 20 degrees. This gravity assist is crucial for the spacecraft's journey to Jupiter.

During the flyby, Juice's onboard monitoring cameras captured a series of images of Earth. These cameras, primarily used to observe the spacecraft's booms and antennas, provided a unique perspective of our home planet.

The captured images show Earth as a crescent and later as a nearly full disc, with Africa clearly visible. The Moon was also spotted as a small dot next to Earth. The final images show Earth receding as Juice continued its mission.

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