A Danish-developed star camera from DTU Space (Danish Technical University Space) has played a crucial role in understanding the radiation conditions on Jupiter’s moon, Europa. This information was revealed in a joint statement issued by the American space agency, NASA, and DTU Space. This camera has collected extensive radiation data during its mission aboard the Juno spacecraft, which reached Jupiter in 2016 after a five-year journey.

Europa has long been a focal point for astronomers, as it is believed that a deep ocean lies beneath the moon’s ice-covered surface. The presence of water makes Europa a potential candidate for extraterrestrial life. Previously, intense radiation on Europa was thought to make manned missions there impossible. However, the new measurements from the star camera indicate that one side of the moon has significantly less radiation than previously assumed. This finding opens new possibilities for future crewed missions to Europa.

The Juno spacecraft is equipped with four star cameras from DTU Space, which have proven invaluable in capturing high-energy particles and measuring radiation. According to Juno researcher and DTU professor John Leif Jørgensen, highly energetic electrons penetrating the cameras’ shielding can be clearly tracked in the images as “fireflies.” The number of these fireflies is counted by the instrument and used to accurately calculate the radiation levels.

The discovery from the Juno mission brings us one step closer to understanding Europa’s potential for life and the feasibility of sending human missions to this distant moon.