Author: Nicola Baresi, Lecturer in Orbital Mechanics, Surrey Space Centre, University of Surrey

A European spacecraft is about to zip by both Earth and the Moon in the space of 24 hours. In the early 2030s, the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) mission will be the first European probe to orbit Jupiter. But first, it needs to carry out a key manoeuvre to help set up its eventual encounter with the giant planet. Juice will fly by the Moon at 22:16 BST on August 19. It will then zip by Earth on August 20 at 22:57 BST. It’s now 16 months since Juice launched from Europe’s spaceport in French Guiana. Its flyby of…