Juice rocket launch postponed: Mission to explore Jupiter and its moons delayed until Friday

Saleen Martin, USA TODAY

Updated April 13, 2023 at 8:17 a.m.·1 min read

The European Space Agency postponed the launch of its Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer Thursday morning, now targeting a Friday liftoff.

The explorer, an Ariane 5 spacecraft named Juice, will analyze Jupiter and its three ocean-bearing moons: Ganymede, Callisto and Europa.

The explorer is equipped with remote sensing and geophysical capabilities that will help study the moons as both planetary objects and possible habitats, the ESA said on its website.

The launch was scheduled for 8:15 a.m. ET, taking off from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana, but was postponed just minutes before liftoff.

The ESA said the postponement was due to lightning risk.

"See you tomorrow!" the agency said on its Twitter account.

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Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757 – and loves all things horror, witches, Christmas, and food. Follow her on Twitter at @Saleen_Martin or email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Juice launch postponed: ESA rocket scheduled to liftoff to Jupiter

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