From Košice to Ganymede: Slovak engineers are leaving their mark in space

Slovaks are active participants in two ongoing space missions.

Jupiter (centre) and its Galilean moons: from left Ganymede, Io, Europa and Callisto. Juice with deployed antennas and arrays is in the bottom right.Jupiter (centre) and its Galilean moons: from left Ganymede, Io, Europa and Callisto. Juice with deployed antennas and arrays is in the bottom right. (Source: ESA/NASA)

Although Slovakia does not have its own space programme and is yet to become a fully-fledged member of the European Space Agency (ESA), its scientists are already contributing in a range of ways to various space missions.

Currently, there are two interplanetary spacecraft hurtling through the expanse beyond Earth which were created in part by researchers and engineers from the Institute of Experimental Physics of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV) in Košice.

SkryťTurn off ads
Article continues after video advertisement
SkryťTurn off ads
Article continues after video advertisement

In April, the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer – or Juice for short – launched and, as the name suggests, is set to reach and then study our solar system’s largest planet as well as three of its moons in 2031. Meanwhile, the other mission, BepiColombo, will perform a comprehensive study of Mercury, the smallest planet in the solar system.

SkryťTurn off ads

The Slovak Spectator talked to engineer Ján Baláž, who has worked on devices for both missions.

Destination: Jupiter and its moons

The goal of the Juice mission is to make detailed observations of Jupiter and three of its so-called Galilean moons: Ganymede, Callisto and Europa. The three are believed to bear oceans under their thick crusts of ice. Upon reaching the Jupiter system, the spacecraft will study its complex environment and inspect it for possible habitability using a suite of remote sensing, geophysical and in situ instruments.

One such instrument is the Particle Environment Package, or PEP. The device is designed to study the magnetosphere of Jupiter and how it interacts with its moons.

The rest of this article is premium content at Spectator.sk
Subscribe now for full access

I already have subscription - Sign in

Subscription provides you with:
  • Immediate access to all locked articles (premium content) on Spectator.sk
  • Special weekly news summary + an audio recording with a weekly news summary to listen to at your convenience (received on a weekly basis directly to your e-mail)
  • PDF version of the latest issue of our newspaper, The Slovak Spectator, emailed directly to you
  • Access to all premium content on Sme.sk and Korzar.sk

Top stories

Bikers might love the Hell's Angels get-together, but most people are being warned off. (Illustrative Photo)

News digest: Hell on wheels? US Embassy warns Slovaks to look out for bikers

Night shift and weekend supplements to rise (slightly), new train schedules, and NATO partnership.


13m
Záruby and Ostrý Kameň.

3 things to do in Bratislava for free in the next seven days

Come and enjoy the weekend of open parks and gardens or go on a hike with foreigners to Ostrý Kameň and Záruby.


1. jun
SkryťClose ad