Juno's trip to Jupiter holds lessons for S'pore

ON JULY 4, 2016, space probe Juno went into orbit around Jupiter.

To do so, it had to pass over Jupiter's North Pole, through a region described by NASA scientist Heidi Becker as "the scariest part of the scariest place" - belts of violent radiation where electrons bounce back and forth at the speed of light with the risk of knocking out the spacecraft's computer and electronics.

Dr Becker said: "They will go right through a spacecraft and strip the atoms apart inside your electronics and fry your brain if you don't do anything about it."

But the scientists prepared well - Juno's sensitive electronics were shielded in a one-cm thick solid titanium box, providing enough protection to carry out the programmed engine burn, slowing flig…