12 Incredible Space Missions Set to Unravel Universe's Biggest Mysteries

6. JUICE: Exploring Jupiter’s Icy Secrets

What if somewhere beneath the icy crust of Jupiter’s moons, there are oceans—maybe even habitats for life? That question is at the heart of the European Space Agency’s JUICE (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) mission. Launched in 2023, JUICE is on an eight-year journey to Jupiter, with a particular focus on Ganymede, Europa, and Callisto. These moons aren’t just cold rocks; they’re some of the solar system’s most promising candidates for subsurface oceans and, just possibly, the building blocks for life. JUICE will orbit Ganymede and make close passes by the others, analyzing magnetic fields, surface chemistry, and more. Scientists hope the findings will shed light on whether alien life could thrive in such extreme environments. It’s a long wait until JUICE reaches Jupiter in 2031—but the discoveries could be worth every second.