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Jumping Off for Jupiter
Featured on August 5, 2011
Juno, which was launched on August 5, soars above the turbulent atmosphere of Jupiter in this artist's concept. In addition to probing the atmosphere, Juno will measure the giant planet's magnetic and gravitational fields, providing the best glimpse yet at conditions deep in Jupiter's interior. Juno is the first spacecraft to travel beyond the asteroid belt to be powered by solar cells instead of a nuclear generator. Improvements in solar cell efficiency and the reduced power requirements of modern instruments made the switch possible. [NASA/JPL]
