ESA's JUICE spacecraft confirmed Earth is habitable. Here's why

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A picture of Earth snapped by JUICE as it made a historical flyby on August 20, 2024
( Image credit: ESA/Juice/JMC )

ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer( JUICE)is eventually headed for the Jovian system, however on Aug. 20, it took a peek at Earth. The spacecraft returned some really interesting news: the Earth is undoubtedly habitable.

The probe introduced in April 2023 and is presently making its method through the planetary system on an eight-year journey to check out Jupiter and 3 of its moons Ganymede, Callisto and Europa, all of which are thought to have liquid-water oceans below their icy shells. Throughout a flyby of Earth on Aug. 20, JUICE had the ability to effectively determine water in Earth’s environmentalong with carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorous, and sulfur(the “CHNOPS” aspects, which are the most typical components in living organisms). And as such, researchers can validate that there is the capacity for life on Earth

Uh, do not we understand that currently? Yes– however the JUICE group had a great factor to run the tests anyhow.

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JUICE checked 2 of its instruments throughout its flyby of Earth, the Moons and Jupiter Imaging Spectrometer (MAJIS) and the Submillimeter Wave Instrument (SWI), which had the ability to find the indications of habitability.

“We are obviously not surprised by these results … it would have been extremely concerning to find out that Earth was not habitable!” ESA JUICE job researcher Olivier Witasse stated in a declaration “But they indicate that MAJIS and SWI will work very successfully at Jupiter, where they will help us investigate whether the icy moons could be potential habitats for past or present life.”

The Pacific Ocean seen by ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer’s MAJIS instrument throughout the probe’s Earth flyby on Aug. 20, 2024 from a range of 5,405 miles (8,700 km)in 3 various wavelengths. (Image credit: ESA/Juice/MAJIS)

When JUICE reaches Jupiter, it’ll carry out the exact same tests on earth’s icy moons to figure out if they might perhaps support life. Carrying out a trial run on Earth, the only solar system body understood to harbor life, is the finest method to make sure the instruments are adjusted effectively.

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Throughout its Earth flyby, JUICE likewise gathered information about the structure of the environment, consisting of oxygen, ozone and co2. Researchers prepare to study the concentration of oxygen, in specific, as a point of contrast for the Jovian system– they will then have the ability to inform if the oxygen levels out there might support Earth’s existing biological activity.

While it may not be news that the Earth is habitable, JUICE’s research study of our world is essential in its own. Now, on towards Jupiter!

Initially published on Space.com

Space.com contributing author Stefanie Waldek is a self-taught area geek and air travel geek who is enthusiastic about all things spaceflight and astronomy. With a background in travel and style journalism, in addition to a Bachelor of Arts degree from New York University, she focuses on the budding area tourist market and Earth-based astrotourism. In her spare time, you can discover her viewing rocket launches or searching for at the stars, questioning what is out there. Discover more about her work at www.stefaniewaldek.com.