Why Is the JUICE Mission Targeting Ganymede Instead of Europa?

[skydivephil]

Are there any papers describing the possibility of life on Ganymede? I understand it is believed to have a liquid water ocean. But few seem as excited about Ganymede as they are about Europa. Is this becuase of the location of the ocean?

If there are few or no prospects for lilfe on Ganymede why is the JUICE mission focusing on Ganymede? I thought Europa was what everyone is exicted about , now I read the Laplace is canceled and ESA are looking to go ahead to Ganymede and prety much forget Europa.

 

[Radrook]

Are there any papers describing the possibility of life on Ganymede? I understand it is believed to have a liquid water ocean. But few seem as excited about Ganymede as they are about Europa. Is this becuase of the location of the ocean?

If there are few or no prospects for lilfe on Ganymede why is the JUICE mission focusing on Ganymede? I thought Europa was what everyone is exicted about , now I read the Laplace is canceled and ESA are looking to go ahead to Ganymede and prety much forget Europa.

Here is a relevant excerpt on Gaymede:

Possibility of Life


It has been suggested that Ganymede may be amenable to life. However, scientists say that the chances of life existing on Europa are much higher than on Ganymede, because Europa's ocean is closer to the surface than Ganymede's.

While temperatures are extremely low, & there is very little atmosphere, it does have its own magnetic field that might protect life from harmful radiation, & it lies in a relatively quiet radio zone around Jupiter unlike Europa.
http://www.info-facts.com/ganymede.htm

The Juice Mission does schedule more orbital time to Gaynmede than to Europa.
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/pss/dec2011/presentations/JoanSalute.pdf

 

[Super Luminal]

I'd love to see more scientific analysis on Ganymede via probe missions and telescope. I was unaware that it is thought to have an ocean. That link referenced by Radrook isn't worth a darn, by the way (the content, that is; the link works fine, but I know BS when I see it).

 

[Radrook]

I'd love to see more scientific analysis on Ganymede via probe missions and telescope. I was unaware that it is thought to have an ocean. That link referenced by Radrook isn't worth a darn, by the way (the content, that is; the link works fine, but I know BS when I see it).

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