Watch: 10 Facts About the Juno Mission

Juno Jupiter NASA
The Juno spacecraft is set to arrive at Jupiter on July 4, after a journey of almost five years. NASA

NASA's Juno spacecraft is set to enter Jupiter orbit next month, having left Earth on August 5, 2011, on a mission to study the planet.

Juno will be the ninth spacecraft sent to explore the largest planet in the solar system, travelling more than 1.74 billion miles to do so.

Once it arrives on July 4, Juno will fire its engines for 35 minutes to slow down from its current speed of around 40 miles per second in order to enter Jupiter's orbit.

In its 33 orbits around the planet, Juno will be tasked with helping us understand the origin and evolution of Jupiter through analysis of its atmosphere, magnetic field and auroras.

As we await its arrival, Newsweek takes a look at 10 facts about Juno's mission.

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Anthony Cuthbertson is a staff writer at Newsweek, based in London.  

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