The Galilean satellite Io floats above the cloudtops of Jupiter in this image captured two days after Cassini's closest approach... -- NASA/JPL/University of Arizona Mission to Jupiter -- With its suite of science instruments, Juno will investigate the existence of a solid planetary core, map Jupiter's intense magnetic field, measure the amount of water and ammonia in the deep atmosphere, and observe the planet's auroras. Juno's principal goal is to understand the origin and evolution of Jupiter. Underneath its dense cloud cover, Jupiter safeguards secrets to the fundamental processes and conditions that governed our solar system during its formation.
Mission Timeline: Launch - August 2011; Earth flyby gravity assist - October 2013; Jupiter arrival - August 2016
Image credit: NASA/JPL