Sept. 30 (UPI) — NASA’s Juno spacecraft captured detailed photographs of a close flyby of Jupiter’s largest moon Europa.
The first Junocam symbol of the probe launched on Thursday. It shows the icy, rugged surface of a domain near Europe’s equator, known as the Annwn region.
As part of NASA’s crusade to interact with the public, space enthusiasts can vote online on where Junocam should aim next, as the probe sends photographs back to Earth during its journey.
Europa is the idea of having liquid oceans under the ice on its surface, raising questions about whether the moon could support life. Using a microwave radiometer, Juno will reveal knowledge about the design of the moon’s ice beneath the surface, for spaces where liquid water is possibly present.
NASA plans to return to Europa in 2030 with the Europa Clipper mission, which will reach the Moon’s atmosphere.