![juno spacecraft juno spacecraft](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FNubF9cr3ps/maxresdefault.jpg)
For Juno, however, the three largest solar panel wings ever deployed on a planetary probe play an integral role in stabilizing the spacecraft as well as generating power. Unlike all earlier spacecraft sent to the outer planets, Juno is powered by solar panels, commonly used by satellites orbiting Earth and working in the inner Solar System, whereas radioisotope thermoelectric generators are commonly used for missions to the outer Solar System and beyond. Juno is the second spacecraft to orbit Jupiter, after the nuclear powered Galileo orbiter, which orbited from 1995 to 2003. It will also search for clues about how the planet formed, including whether it has a rocky core, the amount of water present within the deep atmosphere, mass distribution, and its deep winds, which can reach speeds up to 620 km/h (390 mph). Juno 's mission is to measure Jupiter's composition, gravitational field, magnetic field, and polar magnetosphere. After completing its mission, Juno will be intentionally deorbited into Jupiter's atmosphere. Juno entered a polar orbit of Jupiter on 5 July 2016 UTC, to begin a scientific investigation of the planet. The spacecraft was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on 5 August 2011 UTC, as part of the New Frontiers program. It was built by Lockheed Martin and is operated by NASA 's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Juno is a NASA space probe orbiting the planet Jupiter. Jovian Energetic Particle Detector Instrument Science phase: 4 years (extended until September 2025)Ģ × 55- ampere hour lithium-ion batteries