Presentation #118.09 in the session Mission-supporting Practices, Modeling, and Data (Poster)
JUICE is the first large mission chosen in the framework of ESA’s Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 program and was launched the on April 14th 2023.
The focus of JUICE is to characterize the conditions that might have led to the emergence of habitable environments among the Jovian icy satellites, in particular Europa, Callisto and Ganymede. In addition, JUICE will also perform a multidisciplinary investigation of the Jupiter system as an archetype for gas giants. To address those key science objectives, the spacecraft payload consists of 10 instruments and 1 experiment that will perform remote and in-situ measurements of Jupiter, its moons and their environment. The mission calls for a three-year orbital survey of the Jupiter System designed as a sequence of 67 orbits around the planet of different periods and inclinations, and includes 35 flybys of Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. The second part of the mission will devote an additional 9 months in orbit around Ganymede for its in-depth characterization.
Given the complexity of the trajectory, the numerous science targets and the anticipated density of operations during the nominal science phase, one of the main priorities of the Science Operations Center and the JUICE science team during the 8-year long cruise phase will be the development of a Strategic Science Planning
The JUICE Strategic Science Planning Process for the Jupiter tour consists of two main pillars: Segmentation of the trajectory: this activity relies on the analysis of all science opportunities along the tour to subsequently support the decision on selecting a prime scientific objective that will get priority (data volume, power and pointing) for a specific time window (segment). Taking into account known operational constraints and high-level resources’ estimate, an analysis of the expected scientific coverage and resource status is performed, and several iterations between the different disciplines experts take place to converge towards a consolidated plan. Detailed sizing case analysis for science operations: For challenging parts of the segmentation, in-depth analysis is needed to refine assumptions made at segmentation level. Those detailed analysis, performed down to observation level, is done in collaboration with the instrument teams. They are subject to an iterative process that result in an advanced instrument operations timeline similar to the ones to be carried out in flight. The present work describes the different steps and groups involved in the science planning, the current status of the segmentation, and the detailed scenario analysis status.