Jupiter Icy moons Explorer (JUICE): An ESA L-Class mission cadidate to the Jupiter system

Kurzfassung

The discovery of four large moons orbiting around Jupiter by Galileo Galilei four hundred years ago spurred the Copernican Revolution and forever changed our view of the Solar System and universe. Today, Jupiter is seen as the archetype for giant planets in our Solar System as well as for the numerous giant planets known to orbit other stars. In many respects, and in all their complexities, Jupiter and its diverse satellites form a mini-Solar System. By investigating this system, and thereby unravelling the history of its evolution, from initial formation of the planet to the development of its satellite system, we will gain a general understanding of how gas giant planets and their satellite systems form and evolve and of how our Solar System works.