Panic in space as NASA Juno probe to Jupiter suffers mysterious shutdown

NASA has capped off a disappointing week for space exploration after its Juno probe suffered a series of mysterious problems.

The unmanned spacecraft entered Jupiter’s orbit in July this year with the aim of discovering its secrets.

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The 3.6tonne machine was tasked with examining Jupiter's many gassy layers to measure their composition, magnetic field and other properties.

Scientists hope to learn the source of the planet's fierce winds and discover whether Jupiter is made entirely of gas or has a solid core.

But officials in charge of the probe last weekend delayed a crucial manoeuvre due to a main engine malfunction.

And then, on Wednesday, many of Juno’s systems suddenly shut down, just as it was about to begin beaming back close up images of the solar system’s largest planet.

The shutdown occurred when the ship’s computer systems went into safety mode – something they are designed to automatically do when it recognises unexpected changes in conditions.

Safety mode turns off instruments and some non-critical spacecraft components.

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Officials said two helium valves in the fuel pressurization system had malfunctioned, causing the switchover.

Juno project manager Rick Nybakken, from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, said: “At the time safe mode was entered, the spacecraft was more than 13 hours from its closest approach to Jupiter.

“We were still quite a way from the planet's more intense radiation belts and magnetic fields.

“The spacecraft is healthy and we are working our standard recovery procedure.”

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The probe’s next opportunity to closely observe the colossal gas giant will be on 11 December.

The news comes the same week the European Space Agency's Schiaparelli  spacecraft was lost during its decent to Mars.

Officials said they believe the probe crashed after its thrusters failed to slow down its descent.

Although conspiracy theorists have claimed the lander was shot down as part of an attempt to cover up the existence of life on the red planet.

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