NASA's Juno spacecraft has revealed that lightning in Jupiter's storms is at least 100 times more powerful than on Earth, based on data from 2021 and 2022. The findings, published on March 20 in AGU Advances, come as the mission's future hangs in balance due to budget constraints. NASA officials are weighing whether to extend operations amid funding shortfalls.
Scientists analyzing data from NASA's Juno spacecraft, orbiting Jupiter since 2016, have measured lightning flashes in the planet's colossal storms that are at least 100 times more powerful than those on Earth. The research, published March 20 in the journal AGU Advances, used observations from 12 passes in 2021 and 2022, when a lull in storm activity allowed clearer detection. Juno's Microwave Radiometer instrument captured 613 microwave pulses, with energies ranging from Earth-like to potentially a million times stronger, though comparisons carry some uncertainty due to interplanetary differences. Lead author Michael Wong, a planetary scientist at the University of California, Berkeley, noted possible factors like hydrogen-rich atmospheres, taller storms, or greater heat buildup driving the intensity. He said, “Could the key difference be hydrogen versus nitrogen atmospheres, or could it be that the storms are taller on Jupiter and so there’s greater distances involved?” or greater energy from moist convection on Jupiter, calling it “an active area of research.” Juno, humanity's only spacecraft operating between Jupiter and Pluto's orbits, completed its primary five-year mission but received an extension. It continues delivering valuable science, such as insights into cyclones like the Great Red Spot, which has persisted for at least 190 years. However, its future is uncertain. Louise Prockter, director of NASA’s planetary science division, stated on Monday, “We can’t quite afford to support everything that we have done in the past.” Budget pressures, following a Trump administration request to slash NASA's science funding, have prompted closeout plans for Juno and others, including Mars missions like Curiosity and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Congress approved $2.54 billion for planetary science in fiscal year 2026, $220 million less than last year, forcing tough choices. These extended missions consume about 10% of the budget, roughly $260 million in 2025. Prockter emphasized balancing ongoing operations with new missions, saying, “When we say yes to something, we say no to something else.” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman wants faster science returns. Decisions will appear in the agency's annual operating plan to Congress.