The first scientific data of NASA's JUNO mission provided by JIRAM, the Italian eye that has the task of studying Jupiter closely

(To Leonardo-Finmeccanica)
02/09/16

With the ignition of JIRAM (Jovian InfraRed Auroral Mapper), the spectrometer created by Leonardo-Finmeccanica, and of the other instruments on board the JUNO probe (JUpiter Near-polar Orbiter), the scientific phase of NASA's space mission begins the second within the New Frontiers program, which will study the origin and evolution of Jupiter.

Concentration of the best Italian technology, JIRAM is the heart of the space probe and will have the aim of observing Jupiter at close range to understand its formation, evolution and structure. In particular, the instrument will have the task of photographing the planet's polar auroras, analyzing the upper layers of the atmosphere and detecting the possible presence of methane, water vapor, ammonia and phosphine.

“With the beginning of JUNO's scientific mission, Jupiter is a little closer also thanks to the contribution of Leonardo and our country. I am proud of it, both as CEO of the company that built the JIRAM instrument and as an Italian, and I congratulate our engineers, ASI and the members of the scientific team for having once again demonstrated absolute excellence. of made in Italy in the creation of high-tech instruments for Space ", commented Mauro Moretti, CEO and General Manager of Leonardo," JIRAM comes from a long tradition, which saw Leonardo create together with the Space Agency and the community scientific
similar instruments for the most important planetary exploration missions of recent years, such as Cassini, Rosetta, Venus Express and Dawn ”.

Funded by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and operated under the scientific responsibility of the INAF Institute of Space Astrophysics and Planetology (IAPS), JIRAM is built in Campi Bisenzio. Excellence of Leonardo's Tuscan plant, with over 450 units supplied for international space missions, also the Autonomous Star Tracker attitude sensor which guided JUNO for almost 3 billion kilometers towards the Jovian orbit and which will continue to provide fundamental information to maintain the predetermined route.

Italian is also KaT (Ka-Band Translator) dedicated to radio science experiments, funded by ASI and created by Thales Alenia Space (joint venture between Thales and Leonardo) with the support of the University of Rome "La Sapienza", which will study the internal composition of the planet and its gravitational field.

(photo: ASI / images: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory)