Juno (spacecraft)

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/juno-spacecraft

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the spacecraft manufacturer?Lockheed Martin
2. What is the program affiliation?NASA New Frontiers Program
3. What is Juno and why is it special?Juno is a NASA spacecraft that explores Jupiter. It is special because it uses big solar panels instead of radioactive power, which is the first time for a planet far from the Sun.
4. How does Juno travel around Jupiter and why does it go over the poles?Juno flies in a polar orbit, meaning it passes over Jupiter’s north and south poles. This helps it study the planet’s magnetic field and stay safer from strong radiation belts.

Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG): A power-generating device that uses the heat from radioactive decay to produce electricity.
Gas Giant: A large planet composed primarily of hydrogen and helium, like Jupiter and Saturn.
Solar Wind: A stream of charged particles released from the upper atmosphere of the Sun.