The Juno spacecraft launched aboard an Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on Friday, Aug. 5, 2011. Juno will make a five-year, 400-million-mile voyage to Jupiter.  Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

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The spacecraft will orbit the planet, investigate its origins and evolution with eight instruments to probe its internal structure and gravity field, measure water and ammonia in its atmosphere, map its powerful magnetic field and observe its intense auroras.

At the start of the journey, the 19,000 solar cells on Juno’s sails will  generate 14 kilowatts of energy but as  it drifts closer to its final destination that output will drop to just 400  watts.