TÜV NORD expertise on the journey to Jupiter

ESA’s JUICE probe will pass Earth at the end of September – ALTER supports Europe’s largest Jupiter mission

On 28 September 2026, the European JUICE (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) space probe will fly past Earth and continue its journey to the Jupiter system. The flyby is part of a complex gravitational manoeuvre designed to give the probe additional momentum for its journey into the outer Solar System. On board: technology and expertise from ALTER, a company within the TÜV NORD GROUP.

The European Space Agency (ESA) mission was launched in April 2023 and is scheduled to reach Jupiter in 2031. The aim is to explore the gas giant and its ice-covered moons Ganymede, Europa and Callisto. Scientists aim to investigate whether there are oceans beneath their icy layers and whether conditions might exist there that could, in principle, support life.

To ensure the probe can complete its journey of almost six billion kilometres, its systems must function reliably over many years. On behalf of the ESA and other manufacturers of the on-board equipment, ALTER undertook tasks including technical development, qualification and testing, as well as the procurement of electronic components.

The stresses encountered during a space mission are enormous. Electronic components must withstand extreme temperature fluctuations, radiation and the unique conditions of space. To this end, the TÜV NORD GROUP has specialised facilities where conditions in space can be simulated as realistically as possible.

“Space missions are among the most demanding technological projects of all. We are proud that ALTER’s expertise is contributing to one of the most significant European research missions of recent years,” says Olga Ramos, Head of the Component Design Department at ALTER.

The upcoming flyby of Earth marks another milestone on the journey to Jupiter. By the time it arrives in 2031, JUICE will have travelled several billion kilometres before the actual scientific mission begins.