The Space Shuttle may have retired, but space exploration is still alive and well. Last week NASA launched Juno, a new probe that will orbit Jupiter to investigate this, the largest body in the Solar System after the Sun.
Image: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona
This mission has two things of real significance (well, there's probably loads, but these are the two that caught my imagination...)
The first is that Juno is powered by solar panels. This may not seem like a big deal, but Juno will have to survive on a very small amount of energy from sunlight. The amount of energy that Juno will receive is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the Sun. Simply put, Jupiter is a loooong way away, and it's dark out there.
Older space vehicles were powered by RTGs - a device that creates electricity using the heat from decaying radioactive material. Solar panels simply haven't been able to create the power needed. Now technology has advanced so much that solar panels can be used to power Juno in Jovian orbit. To me, this seems like an exciting development that will allow us to send more and more vehicles out to explore our cosmic back-yard.
The second reason? Juno will be carrying three LEGO figures to Jupiter!
Image: NASA/LEGO/collectSPACE.com
You can't tell me that's not just a little bit cool...
alan.chong
lego figurines up in space! Wow! that's something that we don't really get to know in the news, don't we? :)