'Juno, welcome to Jupiter': Nasa probe makes history as it enters into gas giant's orbit after epic 1.8 BILLION mile journey

Nasa's Juno spacecraft fired its main rocket engine earlier today, slowing itself down from a speed of 165,000 mph to drop into the gas giant's orbit. The jubilant mission team celebrated at the space agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California this morning (botrom right), with Juno's principal investigator, Scott Bolton, confirming Juno's successful entry into Jupiter's orbit at a press conference (top right) this morning. The spacecraft will end its mission in 2018 when it takes a swan dive into Jupiter's atmosphere and disintegrates - a necessary sacrifice to prevent any chance of accidentally crashing into the planet's potentially habitable moons. During its mission of exploration, Juno will circle the Jovian world 37 times, soaring low over the planet's cloud tops. Scientists will for the first time be able to see what lies beneath Jupiter's atmosphere, and help unlock secrets about how the solar system formed. During its mission of exploration, Juno will circle the Jovian world a total of 37 times, soaring low over the planet's cloud tops.