This Fourth of July, NASA’s solar-powered Juno spacecraft will arrive at Jupiter after an almost five-year journey. News briefings, photo opportunities and other media events will be held at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, and air live on NASA Television and the agency’s website.

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In the evening of July 4, Juno will perform a suspenseful orbit insertion maneuver, a 35-minute burn of its main engine, to slow the spacecraft by about 1,212 miles per hour (542 meters per second) so it can be captured into the gas giant’s orbit. Once in Jupiter’s orbit, the spacecraft will circle the Jovian world 37 times during 20 months, skimming to within 3,100 miles (5,000 kilometers) above the cloud tops. This is the first time a spacecraft will orbit the poles of Jupiter, providing new answers to ongoing mysteries about the planet’s core, composition and magnetic fields.

NASA TV Events Schedule

For all media briefings, reporters may ask questions by phone by contacting Gina Fontes at 818-354-9380 or georgina.d.fontes@jpl.nasa.gov. All times are Eastern.

Thursday, June 162 p.m. — Mission status briefing at NASA Headquarters in Washington

Thursday, June 304 p.m. — Mission overview news briefing at JPL5 p.m. — Mission outreach briefing at JPL

Monday, July 4 ? Orbit Insertion DayNoon — Pre-orbit insertion briefing at JPL 10:30 p.m. — Orbit insertion and NASA TV commentary begin

Tuesday, July 51 a.m. — Post-orbit insertion briefing at JPL

To watch all of these events online, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/nasatv
https://www.ustream.tv/nasa
https://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl

Live coverage on orbit insertion day also will be available online via Facebook Live at:

https://www.facebook.com/nasa
https://www.facebook.com/nasajpl