A common theme of science fiction is the interconnectedness of things—be they planets, species or technological processes. Real-world space exploration often verifies this view, especially in the area of technology. A good example is NASA’s deep space mission for the Juno spacecraft.
Juno was launched Aug. 5, 2011, and it entered a polar orbit of Jupiter on July 5, 2016. During its long journey, the probe became the fastest human-made object ever (165,000 mph) and reached a height greater than 2,800 miles above Jupiter’s cloud tops. It currently is completing a total of 37 orbits around the planet that will end in early 2018. Research conducted during the orbits focuses on Jupiter’s core materials, its extreme magnetic fields, and how the planet has evolved over millions of years.